Oftentimes I have a lot of trouble reading poems. There is always some hidden message and I feel that I can't ever quite figure it out. Occasionally though there is a poem that I like and I think I get the feel for. I liked this poem, "A Dog Sleeping On My Feet." I thought that it was a sweet poem that was very relaxing and cozy somehow.
I like how Dickey uses his pet dog for inspiration. He seems to be sitting in his chair with his dog sitting on his feet, warming them. Apparently the dog has been there for quite some time because his feet become prickly and fall asleep. I like how he tries to sit through it though and uses it as an inspiration. Not wanting to disturb his friend he writes. He writes about a fox and relates it to the prickles in his feet.
"All, all are running.
Marvelous in pursuit,
Like a dazzle of nails through the ankles,
like a twisting shout through the tress
Sent after the flying fox"
When the dog gets up he is nearly finished. He concludes describing how he will go into his bed and
"From the dream of an animal,
Assembling the self I must wake to,
Sleeping to grow back my legs."
I like all of the descriptions that Dickey used. While describing his "pine-prickling legs" I can almost feel the same thing, and I know exactly what he means. Also, I like how he can relate it to something, and use the scent in the air to bring everything together. It gives a certain feel to the poem that is very relaxing.
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6 comments:
I also have trouble reading and understanding poems. I enjoyed reading "A Dog Sleeping On My Feet", becuase of his descriptions and I agree that the poem was in a sense relazing. The words and discriptions, dragged you into the poem, making you want to read on. I like Dicky's writing style.
His description like you said was so good that my own feet started to fall asleep as I was reading it. When an author uses good descriptions throughout their poems it draws my attention more because I can picture myself in their shoes. I love how throughout the whole poem he endures this pain because he does not want to disturb the dog, his friend. It shows his true compassion for this animal. I agree with you that the hidden messages in poems flies way over my head. I can never understand fully what the author is trying to say.
I thinkt that the descriptions were also very good. It seemed to draw you into the moment that the author was having. I thought that the description was also very accurate and not over exaggerated for emphasis.
I felt the same way that you did while reading this poem by Dickey. It was humorous to know the exact feeling that he was talking about when a part of your body falls asleep, and I was not used to reading this kind of poetry. Most poetry, like you said, has a "hidden message" stored away in it and the reader is always expected to find what that message is, but I would rather read poems such as Dickey's because they are easier to understand and people can relate to them.
Amanda,
I also found this poem difficult to interpret or find the “hidden meaning” as you stated. Although I picked up on the part when his dog is lying on his feet as they fall asleep, I did not understand the whole reference to the fox. I feel that you interpretation is a valid one, and I can definitely relate to the relaxing tone and mood of the poem as you pointed out. The details from the prickling in his leg along with the warmth from the dog help you as the reader to imagine the feeling as if it were happening to you, and almost puts you to sleep.
I agree to me the worst part about english is poems. To it is hard, I never interpret it as everyone else does. I also chose this poem but saw it differently, but I think you was could work better. I never thought about when she is talking about the prickling in her feet, caused by the dog. It might not be a good excuse but I don't think I thought of this becuse my dog never lies on my feet long enough to make my feet fall asleep, its a dog who barkes at anything, so she is never laying down long.
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