Analysis of the Saddest Poem by Pablo Neruda

1.    Theme: what themes do you notice in the poem? Explain how the themes contribute to your understanding of the poem

I notice that the themes of heartbreak, depression, and loss of love are present in the Saddest Poem by Pablo Neruda. Throughout the poem, there is a recurring line which is “Tonight I can write the saddest lines” which showcases all the pain and sorrow that the author is experiencing with love. The themes occur in chronological order first starting with his initial heart, then leading to his period of depression, and then his loss of love for his significant other. The lines, "I can write the saddest poem of all tonight. I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too.”, demonstrates the author’s feeling of heartbreak because he believed that both he and his significant other were both deeply in love but in reality, they were not. The author’s feeling of depression is portrayed through the lines, “I can write the saddest poem of all tonight. To think I don't have her. To feel that I've lost her.” The theme of depression can be found in these lines because the author showcases his emotions of feeling lonely and sad without the love of his life. Finally the lines,” Although this may be the last pain she causes me, and this may be the last poem I write for her.”, display the author’s loss of love for her and how is slowly moving past his previous relationship.

2.    Do you agree or disagree with the poem? Explain your thinking.

 I agree with the poem because when one is in a relationship with someone that they love for a long duration of time, they become very intimate and close to them. As a result, when they end their relationship, it become difficult to move past the relationship. This is portrayed with the line the lines: “Someone else's.  She will be someone else's. As she once belonged to my kisses. Her voice, her light body. Her infinite eyes.” These lines showcase how when one goes through a breakup, all they can think of is that person and how much they loved them. In addition, they endure a feeling of depression knowing that someone else will get a chance to be with them rather than themselves.

3.    Jot down and respond to a favourite line or favourite image. What specifically do you like about the poem? Be specific, pay attention to beautiful words, phrases and language.

My favourite line from the poem is “To hear the immense night, more immense without her and the poem falls to the soul as dew to grass.” This line is significant because it demonstrates how the author was able to hear the night more clearly without his significant other and he felt lonelier without her as the night was filled with darkness.  In addition the line, “falls to the soul as dew to grass”,  metaphorically signifies the loss of love as the small droplet of dew from a leaf falls into the grass signaling the end of a relationship. 

4.    What is this poem saying? What ideas is the poem conveying?

The poem is conveying the idea that love is precious and vulnerable. Sometimes a relationship may not always work out and as a result it may be difficult to move past it. One must give themselves some time to regroup and fix their mistakes before searching for love again. The process will be filled with some periods of depression which will lead one to make irrational decisions but, the feeling of depression can be filled overtime through learning from past mistakes. Once one does some self-reflecting, they will be able to put their past relationship behind them and embark on a new relationship.

5.    Personal connections: is there any way in which you relate to anything in the poem?

I cannot personally relate to this poem and the author’s experiences, but I have seen others who went through the same feelings and emotions as the author did in this poem. For instance, recently one of my friends recently broke up with his long-time girlfriend and he had been going a whirlwind of emotions after the breakup. Similarly to the author, he has not been able to stop thinking about the girl that he loved and he felt that his soul was lost without her. He tried countless times to win her love back and he tried correcting his mistakes in hopes of mending his relationship with her but, unfortunately, she did not want to get back with him. This goes to show that sometimes in life, relationships do not always work out and we should not dwell on them, but rather learn from them and become better people leading into other relationships.

Media Collage

1) Picture One – What did you include in this picture? Do you have to document everything to tell the whole "truth" about this classroom? What did you exclude? Why is this important to note about documentary film and media in general? 

I chose this first pic which is located in the green pit at school. I chose this picture because this was a place that I always hung out with my friends at lunch. In addition, I also met some of my new friends here as well. I had many great memories here in grade 9 because this was a spot where I always studied before tests and hung out with my friends. The green pit also changed over the course of four years as they added furniture and charging spot for phones. As the green pit went through changes, I also went through drastic changes since grade 9 as I matured into a better person.

2) Picture Two - Is there truth in this picture – despite not providing all of the details of the room? Is there bias in this picture? How do your emotions impact the picture you have chosen to take?

Truth is evident in this because it showcases a valuable message that I can apply to my life and that others can apply to their own life. When I come to class everyday, I always see this picture and it helps motivate me each day to improve on myself and to strive to succeed in my life.  There are many significant messages from this piece of artwork such as that we cannot change the mistakes that we made in the past, but instead we can learn from them and become better people. In addition, the quote “Everything affects everything”, is also significant because it demonstrates how every choice or action that we take in our life can have a positive or negative impact on us.

3) Picture Three - How does one set up the composition of a beautiful photograph to connect with the audience? How does this beautiful photograph impact the audience's perspective of this classroom? How does this connect back to our discussion of social media accounts in Unit Two? 

I took this picture in the classroom and it depicts a composition of a beautiful photograph because it showcases how words are a form of art. The different fonts, colours, and styles of the words showcase the beauty of words and how they are a piece of art.  The classroom is filled with words throughout the classroom and the many words such as quotes and messages reveal all the wonderful moments and experiences that previous students endured in the classroom. This impacts the audience’s perspective of the classroom because when one walk into the classroom, they will feel welcomed and happy seeing how vibrant classroom is with all kinds of art portrayed throughout the room. This photo connects back to our discussion of social media accounts because as one would share their stories and lifestyles through their social media accounts, the writing on the ceiling and walls throughout the classroom reveals many memories that students have experienced over the course of many years while in this classroom.

English Essay

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1X0-eh59WcR5xNoLUw6CNm9EA1JmlszVjHNDIRFvlgeg/edit?usp=sharing

Best Piece of Advice

Over the course of my life, I received many pieces of advice from my family, friends, teachers, and others who had an influence in my life. However, the best piece of advice that I ever came across, came from a book called Tough Times Never Last, But Tough People Do, written by Robert H. Schuller. After reading this book, I came across some great life advice which was that in life, we must be resilient and be able to overcome any obstacles or challenges no matter what they are. That is why I always tell people that “tough times never last, but tough people do”. This quote itself is very significant to me because it showcases how in life, people always go through difficult times that are usually momentary but, those who have the determination and will power, overcome those difficult times leading to a successful life. Through this piece of advice, I learned that perseverance is key in overcoming any obstacles or challenges that you may face in life. Perseverance is the ability to keep going even if you have the desire to give up. It is often difficult to keep on going, but that’s what makes us tough. One who perseveres is does not quit when the odds are against them or when things go against them because they always figure out a way to come out on top

no matter what situation they are in. Perseverance has been an important aspect in my life because I have always been the type of person to constantly challenge myself to become a better person while dealing with the many  inevitable challenges that occur. Countless times, I wanted to give up when I was put into a difficult situation, but I always discovered a way to overcome these times of adversity through being optimistic and determined. For example, when I was in elementary school, I always competed in various track and field events, more specifically the 200m sprint was my speciality. Every time I competed, I was always anxious because I was scared of not performing to the best of my ability. When I was running, I always felt like giving up and a voice inside me was pushing me to give up. However, I consistently found way to stay focused and determined during my races which motivated me to push myself to my limit. Evidently, I ended up being successful because I was able to push out the negativity and believe in myself to overcome all the adversity. Overall, I believe that if we maintain a positive attitude, be optimistic, and keep working hard, we will be able to overcome any obstacle or challenge that life has to throw at us. Hence, tough and mentally strong people always outweigh the difficultly that tough times have to offer.

Nothing But Death Pablo Neruda Analysis

1.    Theme: what themes do you notice in the poem? Explain how the themes contribute to your understanding of the poem

I notice that the theme of death is present in the poem. More specifically how death is inevitable and that it can occur at any moment in our lives. As said in the poem; “where death is waiting, dressed like an admiral” signifies how death is metaphorically an “admiral” all dressed up and ready to take us from this world. This quote further helped me understand the poem because an admiral is the highest rank in the navy and they have power over everyone in the navy as they can command any orders. Similarly, death is like the highest command to all humans because death ends our lives and discharges us from the world.

2.    Do you agree or disagree with the poem? Explain your thinking.

I agree with the poem because I believe that death is unavoidable and we will never know when we will be faced with it. Hence, we must enjoy every single moment that life has to offer to us and we must not live our lives in regret knowing that the fear of death results in us holding back. We must live in the present and not focus on the future of our lives because then we will fail to cherish the moments that we experience in the present.

3.    Jot down and respond to a favourite line or favourite image. What specifically do you like about the poem? Be specific, pay attention to beautiful words, phrases and language.

My favourite line from the poem is “death is inside the bones, like a barking where there are no dogs, coming out from bells somewhere, from graves somewhere, growing in the damp air like tears of rain.” This line is significant because it showcases how death is spontaneous and that it can occur at any time. The line “death is inside the bones” demonstrates how death is evident in everyone because we cannot live forever and that one day we have to leave this earth. The line “coming out from bells somewhere” reveals how death could occur anywhere and at any time in our lives. That is why we must cherish every moment in our lives and live it to the fullest. 

4.    What is this poem saying? What ideas is the poem conveying?

The poem is conveying the idea that death is evident in life and that it is unavoidable. Therefore, we must not fear death and instead be prepared for it as it can occur anytime. Rather than worrying about death, we must enjoy our lives to the fullest and make every moment count. We must not let death restrain us from enjoying and being successful in our lives. Those who fear death will always be afraid of death throughout their lives and they will never really live their lives to their full potential. However, those who embrace death and are not afraid of the circumstances that it has to offer, often live their lives to their full potential and they become successful.

5.    Personal connections: is there any way in which you relate to anything in the poem?

I can relate to this poem because I understand how the thought of death often puts fear into people. When I was young, I was scared at the thought of death because I didn’t know when it would happen or what would happen after death. As a result, I was always careful with everything that I did and I always had fears of going on roller coasters, crossing the road, riding bicycles, and doing many other risky things. I realized that I was holding back and stopped enjoying my life because I feared death. I later accepted that death was evident in everyone’s life as it was never a matter of if but, a matter of when it would occur. In addition, in the past years, I heard stories of how some people in relation to me lost their lives out of nowhere. Some people were just living an ordinary life and all of the sudden they died suddenly which put my life in perspective. I learned that we must not take life for granted and instead we must enjoy it by being grateful for what we have in our lives. We must also live life to the fullest but, be cautious with how we live it because as said in the poem, “Death arrives among all that sound”.

Valentine Carol Ann Duffy Poem Analysis

1.    Theme: what themes do you notice in the poem? Explain how the themes contribute to your understanding of the poem

The main theme present in the poem Valentine by Carol Ann Duffy is love. The metaphorical reference to the onion further reinforces the fact that love is complicated and that you must be patient with love or you will end up being heart broken. The theme contributed to my understanding to the poem because using a metaphor helped me visualize love with an object. I was able to visualize how peeling an onion and the consequences of cutting an onion relate to love. At first, it is easy to peel off the outer layer of an onion, but as you dig in, it becomes more difficult to peel in. This is in relation to love because it is easy to fall in love but being able to understand your partner and maintain a healthy relationship is difficult.

2.    Do you agree or disagree with the poem? Explain your thinking.

I agree with the poem because there is a great connection with love and an onion. Onions have a strong odour that often stays on you for a while when you cut them and the odour is so strong that it can make you cry when you cut them. Love is similar to an onion because like an onion, love is very strong as it can affect you emotionally if you get sucked in and it can take a long time to overcome a breakup. In addition, I agree with the poem because the author showcases that you must be patient with love and you must be able to take things slow in a relationship rather than trying to move fast. In doing so, you will be able to understand and truly value your partner.

3.    Jot down and respond to a favourite line or favourite image. What specifically do you like about the poem? Be specific, pay attention to beautiful words, phrases and language.

My favourite line from the poem is “Lethal. Its scent will cling to your fingers, cling to the knife”. This line is significant because like the scent of onion, love is difficult to remove or shake off. For example when someone ends a relationship with someone they love a lot, it is difficult to move on. Similarly from the poem, when you cut onions, the strong scent can stay on your fingers and even if you try to wash it off, it may take a few days from the scent to be fully removed from your fingers. That is why if someone goes through a breakup it could take days, weeks, or even months to move on which is similar to the scent on onions in your fingers. 

4.    What is this poem saying? What ideas is the poem conveying?

The poem is trying to portray the author’s message that we must be patient and careful with love or we will end up being heart broken. For example the lines “Take it, Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding ring, if you like”, demonstrate how if we take our time with love, we will be rewarded in the end with a wedding ring ending in marriage. Hence, it is key to take time in a relationship to truly understand and cherish each other which ultimately requires patience. Like peeling the platinum loops, it takes time together to build a strong and healthy relationship.

5.    Personal connections: is there any way in which you relate to anything in the poem?

I can relate the poem to the many relationships that Barry Allen had from the show called The Flash. In the show, Barry Allen is secretly the superhero The Flash and every relationship that he was in, he tried moving his relationships to the next level too quickly. As a result, none of his relationships ended up working out for him because he did not have patience and he was always heartbroken. Finally, after meeting the right girl, he took his time to truly understand her and took his relationship slowly. Ultimately in the end, he was rewarded with marriage as she was the girl of his dreams and they lived happily throughout the show. Barry Allen’s actions correlates to the poem because the author’s main message of the poem is that we must be patient with love in order to have a successful and loving relationship. Barry Allen was not patient with his previous relationships, but he later learned to be patient with his other relationship which is why it was successful and ended in marriage.

  

The Eighth Day of September Poem Analysis

1.    Theme: what themes do you notice in the poem? Explain how the themes contribute to your understanding of the poem

I notice that there are a variety of themes in the poem The Eighth of September by Pablo Neruda. The themes present in the poem are love and hope. These themes contribute to my understanding of the poem because with the theme of love and hope, the poem is trying to portray the message that with love, you can overcome any obstacle that life throws at you as long as you are optimistic. The themes are further portrayed through a variety of symbols and metaphors. For example, the line, “This day, the storm-driven ocean lifted us up in a kiss” indicates that the “storm driven ocean” which is his obstacle, was conquered through a kiss from his love.

2. Do you agree or disagree with the poem? Explain your thinking.

I do not agree with the poem simply because I believe that with love, you cannot overcome any obstacle in life. I believe that love is very powerful and that as long as the two people in love do not see each other as the reason for their hardships, but as a source of hope, they can prosper. Sometimes in life, the one that you love can lead to pain, become a distraction, and ultimately hold your back in overcoming an obstacle or challenge. 

3.    Jot down and respond to a favourite line or favourite image. What specifically do you like about the poem? Be specific, pay attention to beautiful words, phrases and language.

My favourite line from the poem is “This say our body grew stretched out to Earth’s limit.” This line is a significant line because it showcases how we have the potential to reach our dreams and goals as the sky is the limit for us. It also signifies how with someone that we love in our lives, we are able to reach that limit because they support us and give us motivation to succeed in life. Another favourite line is “This day was all the Earth”. This line is significant because the Earth is where we live on and it has so much to offer to us. No one on the planet can experience or witness the whole Earth on their own which is why they need someone to embrace the beauty of the Earth with them. As a result the author writes to line to demonstrate that the one day was all that and more to he and his wife because of their love for the person they were with. 

4.    What is this poem saying? What ideas is the poem conveying?

The poem is trying to portray the author’s love for a significant other who could be his wife. He showcases that through all the hardships that he and his wife faced throughout their lives, their love for one another was always strong. Hence, the last lines of the poem which are “A strange door opened, with no face as yet, waited for us there”, implies that through their love for each other, they were able to produce a child. The child who was not born yet and was waiting to be cherished with love from the author and his wife. Although the main message of the poem is that with love any obstacle or challenge in life can be conquered, there is a deeper meaning to why the author wrote the poem. I believe that the author wrote this poem to reveal to readers that whatever happens in life, there will always be someone who is ready to be by your side no matter the problems that you will bring to them and that you just have to search for them. 

5. Personal connections: is there any way in which you relate to anything in the poem?

  I personally cannot relate to this poem because I have never used love to overcome any obstacles or challenges in my life. I just used hope and determination to overcome the hardships that I was faced with.  However, I can make a text-to-media connection with the movie Romeo and Juliet. In the movie, Romeo and Juliet’s love is so strong for each other, that they use it to overcome the many

challenges that they face. For example, Romeo murders Juliet’s cousin Tybalt out of anger, but Juliet still loves Romeo in the end because she understood that Romeo did what he did in order to avenge his best friend Mercutio who was wrongfully murdered by Tybalt. Although, both Romeo and Juliet die together, their great love for each other brings together both their tension filled families to mourn the deaths of both. Therefore love was the driving force in bringing Romeo and Juliet together and sadly it was also the driving force for their deaths as well.

Black or White/They Don't Really Care About Us Michael Jackson

Black or White Video: 

Black or White Lyrics: https://genius-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/genius.com/amp/Michael-jackson-black-or-white-lyrics?amp_js_v=a2&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQECAFYAQ%3D%3D#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fgenius.com%2FMichael-jackson-black-or-white-lyrics

They Don't Really Care About us:


Lyrics: https://genius-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/genius.com/amp/Michael-jackson-they-dont-care-about-us-lyrics?amp_js_v=a2&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQECAFYAQ%3D%3D#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fgenius.com%2FMichael-jackson-they-dont-care-about-us-lyrics

Visual Essay

Poem Dedicated to my Rabbit Vanilla

This day, Today, was a flower blossoming in the garden

The sight of her resembled vanilla ice cream

Like her name Vanilla,
She was soft and smooth

Her presence brightened the mood of the room
Like an illuminated lamp

Her scent smelled like grass and roses

Resembling the scent of an evergreen forest

She felt like Summer because she was bright like the sun

And felt warm to the touch

Although you were just a little bunny,
you were fierce like a lion

And precious like a little human baby

She was more than just any pet

She was a little sister who understood me

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Letter to my Future Self

Dear Future 30 Year Old Mauran,

I hope you are doing well and am expecting that you are happy doing what your love. I wonder how the world is 30 years from now. There must be an abundance of technological innovations and improvements in the world. Flying cars are a thing now? I hope you have pursued your path into medicine and that you are a cardiologist. You probably mastered the art of playing the saxophone and are still rocking it on the saxophone at many performances. I like to think that you still have the Michael Jackson spirit and are still a Michael Jackson impersonator. You may not be as good as your younger self, but maybe you can still do the moonwalk. Do you own any luxurious cars yet? Your dream car? I hope you own a Lamborghini or are close to buying one. Where do you live? Are you still living in Canada or did you move to the United States? I always wanted to live in Miami or somewhere is California or at least a beach house there.

How is your relationship with your brother, mom, and dad? I wonder how many luxurious cars and properties your brother owns. Do you still hang out a lot with your brother? I hope you two go out for lunches and dinners occasionally. You guys still better be grabbing food at Osmow’s from time to time and playing Playstation together. I hope that you and your brother are taking care of mom and dad. Mom and dad did so much for you guys growing up, so it’s time for you guys to pay them back by taking care of them. You better be doing photography with dad and cooking with mom. You know that dad’s dream car is Porsche and mom’s dream car is a BMW, so you better buy them their dream cars before getting yours.

I hope you have a lovely family with a few kids and that you have a beautiful and supportive wife. Most importantly, you better be a good father to your kids by not spoiling them too much and by teaching them the values of life. I hope that your kids are talented just like you. Maybe they are athletic, musically talented, or they are stellar dancers like you. Make sure to keep striving for success and not let adversity bring your down. Remember your favourite quote, Tough times never last, but tough people do.”

Take care.

Best Regards,

17 year old Mauran