Realist poetry is so politically incorrect that it actually works -at least for me-. I found it enjoyable and funny; realist poetry can really change your mood.
Edwin Arlington Robinson's poems were unexpected. 'Richard Cory' seemed at first a happy kid's tale, but that end... THAT END. He has shown us how those 'fortunate' rich guys that have 'everything' can actually have nothing but a miserable suicidal life (which it's really true). On the other hand, 'Miniver Cheevy' actually reminded of Don Quixote's crazy mind longing for the old times.
Rupert Brooke's poems were equally plain and realistic. 'A Change Passage' just narrates in a skilful way how a lot of normal people feel in the sea, and I loved how he mixed and compared the sea-sickness pain with the love or soul pain. In contrast, I can say that 'Success''s ending <"And I'm alone; and you have not awoken"> is just so lovely; I don't want to sound cheesy at all, BUT this poem touched my heart and all I can say is that it is really beautiful.
I love Edwin Arlington Robinson. "Richard Cory" is used a lot in the classroom, but it deserves to be. "Miniver Cheevy" is depressing AND funny.
ReplyDeleteAs Brooke's "A Channel Passage" is also, although the vomiting is too much for some readers.
Those last two lines of Brooke's "Success" are surpassingly lovely. Sometimes, if a poet doesn't risk cheesiness, he can't achieve emotion.