Hello readers,

Our poetry unit had came to a conclusion today, and we spent our past four classes looking at poems that regard to September 11th attack. Although I did briefly study poetry in the high school class and even had chances to write a few poems. But I never encounter any poems which focus to express on a national memory or traumatic event. In this unit, I gained insight about how this “obscure” type of literature which once was prevalent to convey the collective memories of the traumatic event. Two genres we focused on are lyric and language poetry, but today I want to discuss with you about my personal understanding on Juliana Spahr’s “This Connection of Everyone with Lungs”.

The collection starts with a repetitive, overlay structure of poems that insist the idea of that the space between everyone is connected with air by breathing into our lungs which create a linkage among every human beings on the planet. My first perception of the poem is like when academicism artists encounter Monet first Impressionism artwork “Sunrise” in 19th century. The poems of Spahr really deliver a sense of blurriness and meaningless just like critiques from conventional artists on Monet artworks are dim in color and lack of finely details. However, when I notice this endless poem is actually dedicate “scheme” by the author in order to let its readers generate a resonance, I begin to amazed that poetry can have such mystical power to keep its readers in the same “frequency” of thoughts.

Rest of the works are also featured by repetitive structure and many sentences are applied the with juxtaposition between one object and another. Most interestedly, the subjects that Spahr put together usually don’t have any logically connection. There are many examples such as sleeping, the bed, the birds singing outside in the morning, the sound of planes fly over, ships put off from ports. Those trivial matters in our daily lives indicates a peaceful and comfort situations that many Americans are favored by. However, the another half of the combinations (juxtaposition) usually aren’t things that make us feel delightful. I felt overwhelming by the poems because it’s like a series of breaking news that play on TV, many of them are flash in screens and a second later nobody can remembered. Perhaps, the author try to increase the sensitivity especially American to being aware of incidents happened in rest of the world. Therefore, I can now argue it is purposeful to apply huge amount of juxtapositions in poetry which tends to form a sharper contrast between two detach objects in order to express author’s point of view.

Although, we now realized how lucky we are living in one of the best pieces of continents on Earth. But I don’t think this is the final level of thinking that Spahr wants us to achieve. In the book, she intended or I should say successfully control our breathing in the beginning, but in different angle I sense helplessness when she try to interrupt or alter the things happened far away in other areas of the planet. It reflects contemporary poets are currently feeling “out of alternative” in global situations which means they aren’t powerful as many politics leaders who able to bring changes in societies. Coincidently, it is very similar to ancient Chinese poets who often express helplessness about bad governance of authorities. So, the questions that Spahr asking is clear: as a normal citizens how can we maintain harmony with each others while take actions on the foreign conflicts? Do we have the responsibility to help the individuals that are suffering in the flames of war? On other hands, is it the contributions made upon world peace represent the spirit of a “Global Citizen? Feel free to share with me about your idea also comment on my analysis on Spahr’s poems.

Appreciate your time with my thoughts.

Reference:

Spahr, Juliana. This Connection of Everyone with Lungs: Poems. Berkeley: U of California, 2005. Print.