poetry blog by aaron kleefield

I found that many of the poems in the packet focused on the theme of the journey through life. Like much of Dillards writing which deals with spirituality and finidng yourself, I believe that much of these poems, whether they talk about humans or animals or even a life we dream about, concern us with seeing a bigger picture than what is on the aesthetic surfaces. Mary Olivers poem named breakage dealt with an entire system of lives that all are different like us on land. At the bottom of the ocean all the vibrant colors catch the divers eye and her discovery of all the different worlds below the surface of the ocean help her find the meaning of herself. She says, "First figure out what each one means by itself, , the jingle, the periwinkle, the scallop, full of moonlight, Then you begin slowly, to read the whole story. The poem, "the chance to love everything," again dealt with what i thought was a dream, but still was a journey. Lastly the poem titled, "Riprap," was one that stood out to me. The first couple, "Lay down these words Before your mind like rocks," held a special meaning that poses true in Dillards work as well. I believe it dealt with subject of holding a open mind and slowing down to find yourself in order to understand your surroundings. The words laid down like bricks in this poem set the foundation for your thinking and finding your true self and living life in the present.