1. Be ready to dive into Crime and Punishment on April 3rd.
2. Register for AP exams by Friday of this week.
3. The following poem is by a famous Portland writer, Ursula Le Guin, and was republished in last Sunday's Oregonian. Consider how Le Guin uses sound, rhythm, imagery, and symbolism to serve her purpose.
The Cactus Wren
In this great silence, to sit still
and listen till I hear the wren
is to draw free from wish and will.
She flits to perch; her slender bill
spouts a thin jet of music, then
in the great silence she falls still.
Wind nods the short-stemmed flowers that fill
the sandy wash. She sings again
her song devoid of wish or will.
The hummingbird's quick drum and thrill
is gone just as I hear it, when
in this great silence all holds still.
The granite sand, the barren hill,
the dry, vast, rigorous terrain
answer no human wish or will.
Again, the small quicksilver trill
that has no messages for men.
In the great silence she sings still
of pure need free from wish or will.
"The Cactus Wren" is from Incredible Good Fortune,
Shambhala, 2006, © 2006 by Ursula K. Le Guin.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
33 comments:
Flit: a sudden quick movement
At one level, this poem appealed to me because of its seamless flow and pleasant sound, and at another level because of its symbolism.
From the start this poem is rife with alliteration and assonance, "sit still," "wish and will," silence she sings still," etc. The interesting rhyme scheme, A, BAA, coupled with the extensive use of sound devices let it almost roll of the tongue. Something else that I thought was interesting was Le Guin's uses the letter "s". It is grossly overused throughout and, in a way, glues the whole poem together.
When I was trying to understand the meaning of the poem and infer the symbolism, I noticed the phrase, "free from wish and will," was recurring from the inception to the end. I think that it was describing the nature of the wren. The Cactus Wren, a small desert bird marked by its curious and loud nature, is described in this poem with these same independent qualities. The bird has a mercurial nature and has a sort of freedom that is emblematic of the desert. This was the symbolism I inferred: that the desert, "granite sand, the barren hill, the dry, vast, rigorous terrain [answers to] no human wish or will," (13) just like the wren sings of "pure need free from wish or will." (19)
The first thing the reader notices about this poem is the abundance of 's' sounds that embed the lines. The constant repetition of the 's' sounds allows the lines to flow together and strings the poem together. In addition, the poem is full of soft sounds, like the 'w' sound, 'th' sound, and 'h' sound. These sounds together provide a quiet and empty feel to the poem that add onto the "granite sand, the barren hill, / the dry, vast, rigorous terrain". Also, the consistent rhyme scheme adds to the flow and rhythm of the poem. It's interesting because Le Guin repeats certain phrases that add to the flow and rhythm of the poem. The word "still" and phrase "wish and will" are repeated four times throughout the poem. Furthermore, the phrase "great silence" is found three times in the poem.
Le Guin uses mainly auditory and visual imagery. She talks about how the "great silence" surrounds the "thin jet of music" that comes from the wren. The empty mood created by the image of a "great silence" is further enhanced by the visual imagery describing the setting. "The granite sand, the barren hill, / the dry, vast, rigorous terrain" describe the emptiness of the desert, where the wren lives.
Going off of what Grace set, the wren lives in a place of total silence. With such dark and desolate surroundings, her song is the only thing that provides hope. She sings "of pure need free from wish or will" because without her song, her home would be completely without color or excitement. It's as if her song produces the "short-stemmed flowers that fill / the sandy wash". Her song brings joy to an otherwise barren place.
The ABA rhyme scheme gives the poem a song-like quality. It connects each line to the next and unifies the poem as a whole. Additionally, the repetition of "great silence" gives the entire poem a peaceful quality.
As Grace said, there's a LOT of "s" and "w" sounds, lending harmony to the poem. There is also assonance with short i vowel sounds like "sit, wind, listen, flits, wish, will," etc. I agree that the rhyme scheme is ABA, which gives the poem an uneven rhythm, but it still flows well because of all the soft consonant sounds and short vowel sounds.
There is a lot of visual imagery that connotates the desert, such as the "sandy wash," the "wind" blowing on the flowers, the "sandy wash" of the desert, and all of lines 13-14. The "jet" of music is also good auditory imagery because you can imagine the wren bursting out in song.
I'm not sure what the wren symbolizes. She only sings about "pure need free from wish or will" (19). I thought it was odd that the wren only sings about needs, and not desires. Perhaps she is symbolic of one's conscience or internal motivation, urging us to only seek what we truly need and not be greedy in life. Especially since we can't control our surroundings - the "vast, rigorous terrain" - maybe it's better to just accept the simple things of life.
The repetition of the phrase "great silence" makes me think of the silence in the evening, just sitting out on your porch, and pondering your life or events in it. The speaker seems to be doing that and trying to have a bare-bones approach to it that's "free from wish and will." I liked the ambiguity of this poem, although it makes the poem harder to analyze.
Also, since the hummingbird isn't just a synonym for the wren, I'm unsure about what its purpose is?
The first thing I noticed was the obvious end rhymes that provided a tempo and flow to the reading of this poem. I really like the similar lines, “in the great silence she falls still” and “in the great silence she sings still.” The alliteration and repetitive words used at the beginning and end of the poem cause me to focus on those lines more. The same impact was also present in lines, “is to draw free from wish and will” and “of pure need free from wish or will.”
The imageries used in this poem allow its readers to hear the loud, high-pitched voices of the cactus wrens. When the wren sings, “her slender bill spouts a thin jet of music.” When reading this line one can almost hear the sudden sharp sound that soon disappears in silence. Later on, as the bird sings again the voice is described as the “drum”, loud and clear. I think Guin is trying to use a wren’s pure, loud voice to show that one’s voice can truly come out if it is based on “pure need” and “free from wish or will”.
The speaker looses herself in the wren's song, as an escape from the troublesome human suffering caused by "wish and will". He almost forgets of his human form, temporarily dwelling in the spiritual domain of nature. The Wren's song is merely the vehicle for her escape from the "great silence". I could be 100% off... Just going out on a limb.
As has already been stated, the author makes use of lots of alliteration with the letters "s" and "w". The phrase "wish or will" is repeated 4 times and the phrase "great silence" is repeated twice.
I too am confused about the purpose of the hummingbird. Help!
As a lover of wild birds, perhaps I can shed some light. If you stand still next to a hummingbird feeder, often you will hear the drumming of the hummingbird's wings as the bird comes in for a drink (which rather resembles the sound of a bee, only deeper). You will never hear a song from the hummingbird, but only a short call. Although hummingbirds are mega-cool, their sound is not-memorable or soothing or haunting or . . . anything. The wren, on the other hand, sings loudly and constantly many different songs, depending on the specific species of wren. I've never heard a cactus wren, but according to my Sibley's Guide to Bird Behavior,it sings at least three different songs.
The thing that first caught my attention in the poem was the abundance of the “ill” repetition at the end of most of the lines. I believe this gives the poem a certain pace to it. But the lines without the “ill” sound tripped me up a bit. Also lines such as “free from wish and will” were repeated a number of times throughout the poem.
I think the most effective thing Le Guin does is use such descriptive imagery. Because it details the bird beginning to sing a song I think auditory imagery is best employed. Reading it over a few times one can begin to hear the hum of the bird. Also, I noticed the speaker’s explanation of the silence. “The hummingbird's quick drum and thrill / is gone just as I hear it, when / in this great silence all holds still.” The best thing about these few lines is that although the speaker is illustrating silence, she is still able to create a very strong image and sound in a way. Silence is a beautiful thing and even though it does not necessarily count as a count, but rather lack thereof, it still creates something relatable, like how you count recall that it sounds like to hear the ocean.
I liked this poem; I think partly because I was familiar with the author. I read a book by her a while ago, and now that I know she is also a poet, I understand why her prose takes on a somewhat poetic tone/style… Her descriptions are rich and eloquent --just like this poem-- which instills great imagery. There is of course auditory, as well as fluid visual images.
Lots of people have already brilliantly pointed out Le Guin’s use of consonance (’s’ ’w’ sounds), which gives the poem a soft, gentle feel, or a sense of relaxation -- something one may experience as they methodically and patiently watch birds, and listen for their calls.
I’ve never seen a cactus wren before, but their call is very shrill, and would contrast greatly with the sound of a hummingbird -- a subtle drone. I found an audio clip of the cactus wren’s song. It might help put a sound to the words.
http://encarta.msn.com/media_701506821/arizona_state_bird_cactus_wren.html
(it’s also Arizona’s state bird…)
Le Guin asserts that the wren’s call is “devoid of wish or will.” Maybe, unlike the hummingbird whose call is timid and unheard, the little wren does not only wish to be heard, but makes themselves heard. They don’t wish, they act; they are independent creatures and let the entire world hear their song.
The rhyme scheme and use of consonance and assonance can be found easily in this poem. The visual imagery that Diya mentioned was exactly what caught my attention. I loved auditory imagery, especially in the lines, "spouts a thin jet of music" and "The hummingbird's quick drum and thrill/is gone just as I hear it, when/this great silence all holds still." "Quicksilver trill" provides both kinesthetic and auditory imagery.
The speaker says that the wren sings, "her song devoid of wish or will." She also mentions that "the small quicksilver trill.... has no messages for men." Although others may not appreciate the songs of the Cactus Wren, it doesn't keep silent. It also doesn't sing for others, it sings for itself. Even in a "dry, vast, rigorous terrain," where one might feel that his or her actions would be too meager and useless. Nevertheless, "she sings still/of pure need free from wish or will."
..Or is that the hummingbird? :\
Well they both do, right?
Nick, to quote myself from tennis a couple of days ago "why are you so good?" After reading these blog posts my opinion has been clarified, I am able to better understand what is felt in this poem and how the author feels about the cactus wren. Just wondering, if she is an Oregonian why does she hear enough of the cactus wren to care this much? Has she moved Ms. Minor?
The sound is indeed defined by the consonance and all of the 's' and 'w' sounds throughout the poem. It does add to the feeling that one must feel when trying to watch and listen to a cactus wren. With medthodical patience we wait for something that sings of "pure need free from wish or will." the sounds essentially capture the spirit of the bird.
The use of soft sounds and the auditory imagery give this poem a song feeling, creating a specific flow. I thought it was interesting that the rhyme is ABA, because it's different than most rhyming poems. I related it to the wren itself, whose songs vary and are much different than songs of other birds, that tend to have a specific song to sing.
The cactus wren is different and brings contrariness to this person who "in great silence" sits "free from wish and will."
I think the meaning of certain other parts of the poem, such as the reference to the trill that has no meaning to humans is very important. In fact I think that part may have defined the entire poem because it defines how both the bird, and good poetry can create works with no special meaning, no meaning to man, just for a simple meaning and enjoyment. I think this embodies the spirit of many good poems.
Thanks, Nick, for the sound clip. The wren's chirp is very shrill (whoa, another "ill" word as Lauren mentioned!) and not at all what I expected...
Sharon, I don't think it's the hummingbird that sings for itself, since as Mrs. Minor pointed out, you can only hear the drone of its wings and it doesn't sing. Rather, as you said, it's the wren that sings for herself, and not to satisfy anyone's wishes.
I think everyone analyzed the rhyme and the sound pretty well. I don't feel the need to mention or repeat what many have said again so I'm not going to say much about it.
Nick, I like your inference and analysis about the wren and what it symbolizes and how "they don't wish, they act". I'm still kind of iffy on the symbolism thing, but it makes sense how these wren detach from "wish or will" and "draw free" from it. It's like detaching from society and how we need to, at times, "hold still" in "great silence" and just simply be in "pure need free from wish or will". But I know there's something more to that, something maybe completely different of just more but I just can't point my finger to it.
The auditory and the visual imagery, as many of you guys have pointed out was great. However, I also felt some tactile imagery. I could feel the "short-stemmed flowers" and the "granite sand" on my hand. Also, I could almost feel the "great silence" how it's so quiet you can feel it, which is almost has this organic feeling to it.
I thought that when Guin says "the small. Quicksilver trill/ that has no messages for men" it meant that the wren's song's purpose isn't to seduce other male birds but rather just for it's own enjoyment. I also like how Guin describes the wren's sound as "music". If "music" was replaced with song then it would make the wren has a purpose in singing. The word "music" seems more connected to emotions and is not played for other motives. I don't know of that made sense. Also, a lot of people already mentioned this, but I thought that the "thin jet of music" was exremely effective in describing the wren's sound. The "jet" makes me think of a jet of water which goes far and is very strong, just like sound of a wren.
As for imagery goes, there was a lot of auditory and visual imagery. The "great silence" and "listen" placed line after line shows the contrast in the imagery. I feel like when it's quieter, it's harder to listen.
I feel like there's a repetition of words that have the connotation of listening. "great silence", "music", "sings", "song", "great silence" (again), and "message". I'm not sure what Le Guin is trying to achieve by using all these words that are related to sounds/listening.
Also, the pretty different rhyme scheme adds to the meaning of the poem. I'm not sure why Le Guin continued to repeat the sound of "ill" but that sound adds a more lengthier and longer feeling to the poem.
Well obvious the most common thing is the end rhyme as well as the internal rhyme with the "ill sound." It doesn't necessarily seem to provide anything for the overall pace of the poem, however, I did stumble when there was a lack of the sound. I did sense a lot of imagery however that painted a picture of the terrain, and the bird. An example of this is "Wind nods the short-stemmed flowers that fill the sandy wash," and "The granite sand, the barren hill, / the dry, vast, rigorous terrain answer no human wish or will." I really liked the poem. With its gentle, somewhat melancholy tone it was a nicely flowing piece with imagery and rhyme.
When I read this out loud, your teeth make this whistling sound as you go through the poem. It's like you get background music to this poem, like the whistling of the wind as there is no sound in the imagery. Then there is this repetition of the 'ill' sound through out the poem, and it is void of that is when the wren is said to be singing. It's also following this weird AAB pattern, which leads to having this expected sound but also having this break that is almost unseen.
The imagery is pretty nice too, it's almost like you can see the music that his bird is singing, almost seeing how important it is that this bird is singing. The landscape is very much adding to how the bird is alone and bringsd out what it is with words like 'barran' and 'granite'. This bird, symbolising what it may, is alone, quietly sitting, withholding it's song, and being free, but very alone, of 'wish or will'.
The most prominent sound device used in the poem is end rhyme. The author uses the rhyme pattern aabaab, except in the first two lines. Using this rhyme pattern not only creates a musical effect, but it also emphasizes the last words in each line, words that help establish the emotion and purpose of the poem.
Auditory imagery also helps readers connect with the sounds and sights of the experience.
The sound and rythym definately help to create a "song-like" quality of the poem. Though I have never heard a cactus wren, I'm confident that the the frequent "ill" endings are designed to mimic the sound of the bird, after all, the wren has a "small quicksilver trill." Considering that the poem is about a bird, and that the feeling invoked by the sounds is sing-songy, it's likely that the purpose of the poem is to capture the sound of the wren, and share it with the reader.
So why exactly is the bird singing if it is not from wish, or will? what is the "need" mentioned in the last line?
The words: "to sit still" in the first line follow directly with the reader, in my case, pausing as a result of the line ending. It's simple and simply effective as the sentiments ordered by the author, as we relate to the speaker in sitting still, force us readers to utilize our other sources of perception. In the second line's case it is sound: "listen till I hear the wren". The silence imagined, as a result of reading the poem, imbues a great contrast unto readers' minds when the thought of a lively bird breaks in.
I thought Ms. Le Guin specifically stressed the indifference of the bird. "free from wish and will" "devoid of wish or will" the bird, surrounded by silence, finds its own purpose in existence. The speaker exclaims to "the granite sand, the barren hill, the dry, vast, rigorous terrain" that "all holds still" and the environment "answer[s] no human wish or will", it is indifferent.
She shows through several images that nature needs only to be "free from wish or will" and it will be what it's supposed to be: nature. Humanity should not ask of nature what it cannot give: sole attention and complacent lives.
The first thing that I noticed was the abundant use of the "ill" endings on the lines. Even though there is this rhyming, it was the lines without the rhyming end that I focused on.
I think that the most effective thing that Le Guin uses is descriptive imagery. Like most have said, the visual and auditory imagery is the strongest. As I was reading, it was almost as if I could hear the song/hum of the bird.
I also noticed, as most have already pointed out, the use of consonance of the "w" sounds. This soft sound helps to create the mood of the poem.
I think this poem is really different but I can't really tell why... Maybe it's the almost awkward rhyming?
One prominent sound through out this poem is the "s" sound. There are perhaps two lines out of 19 that do not feature said sound. Guin also creates an image that is complementary to this "s" sound; the bird's "slender bill [that] / spouts a thin jet of music" (4-5), where the sound of the water is an "s" sound. There is also the image of a "sandy wash" (7) whose sound could also be loosely interpreted as "s" or "sh." Guild uses sound to reinforce her imagery.
Diya, I believe the hummingbird is used as a quick contrast to the Wren. The Wren's noise is a "thin jet of music" (5) while the hummingbird's is a harsher "quick drum" (10). Also, the speaker admits they "sit still / and listen till I hear the wren" (1-2) while the same speaker admits "the hummingbird's quick drum and thrill / is gone just as I hear it" (10-11).
Guild also uses prominent end line. I find it clever that Guild is able to rhyme "again" (8) with both "then" (5) and "terrain" (14), taking advantage of again's two pronunciations.
As I read The Cactus Wren, the first thing that I noticed was how the separate lines were structured. Most line ended with -ill as we all have noticed. Yet I felt that these words were kind of comforting with their drawn out sounds. In contrast, the middle of some lines stuck out to me as more harsh and sharp than the end of those particular. Ursula used many sharp consonants such as t, r, and even s at times. Words like jet, granite, vast, and silence.
I love the line, "Wind nods the short stemmed flowers" These flowers seems to be delicate and easily effected by the wind's force, so they 'Nod'. I also like the line "her slender bill spouts a thin jet of music". All the various s's make this line seem so musical and lovely.
In this poem, Le Guin captures the nirvana the speaker achieves through observing and sinking into nature. Nature is something that has no wish or will and in a Buddhist sense then, no suffering. She repeats a lot of sounds that are soft to achieve the mantra-feel the speaker is experiencing. She constantly uses alliteration, consonance and assonance. Perhaps, the bird's themselves embody her as she observes. The speaker completely removes herself from human culture when she immerses erself in nature and therefore has "no messages for men." The imagery, whether it be auditory, kinesthetic or visual is very strong and vivid because even though she is in a state of total peace with humans, she is still very much alive.
I see this as Le Guin admiring the wren for being able to sing her song, regardless of what others think. Like Sharon mentioned, the wren sings for itself...no one else. Le Guin specifically noted that it "has no messages for men." which is an interesting contrast to the "bird suit" from Siren Song. There the symbol of a bird is used as a female with a goal of seduction, where as the bird in this poem is free from the restraints of men. It doesn't play into society.
I liked this poem because she doesn't describe anything else except for the bird and things that relate to the bird. There's no real background; just what the bird stands on.
Could Le Guin be jealous of the bird? The untouched beauty of being able to sing to yourself? Something that humans aren't allowed to do that often.
The melody in the poem is like that of the bird's. A poem about a song is a song in itself. How neat!
Good point Harish, the poem didn't strike me as being particularly focused on any deeper meaning. It just embodied the experience of a Cactus Wren.
There was a lot of repetition in words like "silence" which creates a sense of solitude. The Wren is established as being alone and almost enveloped in silence with not even its own songs repeated back in an echo.
Many of the words add a quick and fluttery feel to the experience of a Cactus Wren. The word "flit" is not a commonly used word in our everyday vocabulary and it not only provokes an image of something light and quick, it grabs our attention having not seen it used very often. Words like "jet," "falls," "quicksilver," all support the quick fluttery movements and sounds of the Cactus Wren.
With no physical description of the bird and only sound descriptions, I got the sense that the concrete physical structure of the bird itself was actually a vibration with its movements and songs radiating sound.
I was very surprised by the rhyming in this poem. Although I mainly read free verse poems on my own time, i had never seen anything quite like this.
The auditory techniques in this poem give it a quick pace that rolls off the tongue almost. the use of alteration in cases like "wish or will" and "free from" for example contribute to this pace. I think the sound in this poem was well covered by all of you already. I like grace and Neel noticed the "s" sound that is profound in this poem, giving it a continuous feel.
I'm surprised though that James was the only one who mentioned hope. I think amid the silence and desolation of the desert the courage to change things and be bold like this wren is a sign of hope. Almost like a perpetual struggle against predetermined faith and an inflexible environment.
Overall, i enjoyed this poem.
In the Cactus Wren, I noticed the words "fill," "still," "hill," etc. added to most of the lines near the end, help develop rhyme in the poem. There was also numerous "w" and "s" sounds and made the poem more fluid. I was surprised that the author didn't use a harsher melody because a wren's cry is not soft or clear.
The imagery was also very vivid. Words like barren, quicksilver, sandy, dry, and vast all describe the atmosphere where the wren spends its lonely days. It helped create a desolate image in my mind and expressed the wren's desire to sing to bring some beauty to the landscape.
One of the most prominent features of Ursula Le Guin's "The Cactus Wren", to my eyes and ears at least, is the use of rhythm and sound. And, being that this is what we have most recently studied, I feel that this is what I should focus on. While deliberate uses of sound and rhythm occur all throughout the poem, the poetical use of these devices as a whole centers around lines 7-10. The first sentence beginning at line 7 uses an almost ridiculous amount of smooth, soft consenant sounds. W's, S's, and smooth F's create a rolling feel that allows the reader to glide through the lines easily, as well as create an image of a relaxing scene. Lines 8-9 continue with this same effect, building upon the pattern established only a little earlier. In the next line is where the fundamental device is established. Using harsh Q's, D's, T's, and G's, a line with a completely different feel is created. The blatant rhyming towards the end of this line further brings it into focus. This contrasting effect of feel works as a pivot in the poem, and sets the feel for the second half of it.
I felt that this poem was interesting in its rhyme scheme of ABA. In most poems, I have noticed that the rhyme scheme tends to be over more than three lines. I felt that the repetition of the ending "-ill" contributed to the overall movement of the poem. As the frequency of this ending increased, it created the image in my mind of the bird flying faster and faster.
The last line of the poem symbolizes the nature of the wren. As "free from wish or will" represents how the wren is truly free from many external influences, and rather does much on its own.
Overall, I feel that the purpose of the poem is to explain that it takes time for good things to come. While the hummingbird's song comes and goes within a very short period of time, that of the wren takes place over a longer period, as evidenced by the line "to sit still and listen til I hear the wren."
The first thing I noticed about the poem was the musical sound. I think the use of soft "s"s and "l"s give the poem its overall feel. The soft sounds give the poem a fluid and musical sound, almost like a ballade. I also noticed that the poem uses a ABAABAAA rhyme scheme, which contributes to the song like quality of the poem by connecting all the lines together.
Imagery is very important in this poem, especially auditory imagery. "Her slender bill spouts a thin jet of music, then in the great silence she falls still". I like how Le Guin uses words that are not associated commonly with sound like, "thin jet of music". It gives a the music a fluid nature like water.
Post a Comment