Love Poem
John Frederick Nims
My clumsiest dear, whose hands shipwreck vases,
At whose quick touch all glasses chip and ring,
Whose palms are bulls in china, burs in linen,
And have no cunning with any soft thing
Except all ill-at-ease fidgeting people:
The refugee uncertain at the door
You make at home; deftly you steady
The drunk clambering on his undulant floor.
Unpredictable dear, the taxi drivers’ terror,
Shrinking from far headlights pale as a dime
Yet leaping before apoplectic streetcars-
Misfit in any space. And never on time.
A wrench in clocks and the solar system. Only
With words and people and love you move at ease;
In traffic of wit expertly maneuver
And keep us, all devotion, at your knees.
Forgetting your coffee spreading on our flannel,
Your lipstick grinning on our coat,
So gaily in love’s unbreakable heaven
Our souls on glory of spilt bourbon float.
Be with me, darling, early and late. Smash glasses-
I will study wry music for your sake.
For should your hands drop white and empty
All the toys of the world would break.
Magic of Love
by Helen Fairies
There’s a wonderful gift that can give you a lift,
It’s a blessing from heaven above!
It can comfort and bless, it can bring happiness —
It’s the wonderful MAGIC OF LOVE!
Like a star in the night, it can keep your faith bright,
Like the sun, it can warm your hearts, too —
It’s a gift you can give every day that you live,
And when given, it comes back to you!
When love lights the way, there is joy in the day
And all troubles are lighter to bear,
Love is gentle and kind, and through love you will find
There’s an answer to your every prayer!
May it never depart from your two loving hearts,
May you treasure this gift from above —
You will find if you do, all your dreams will come true,
In the wonderful MAGIC OF LOVE!
Questions
1. How are the two poems similar? How are they different?
2. How do you picture the speaker and their love? Young? Old?
3. How long have the narrators been in love? What do you think of their perceptions about their mates?
4. Which of the two represents your views about love? Why?
Write a one page 100 word response about the poems, include a few sentences about what you think the authors main points are
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Response:
The two poems, “Love Poem” by John Frederick Nims and “Magic of Love” by Helen Fair, share a common theme of love but differ in their and portrayal of the speaker and relationship.
In “Love Poem,” Nims presents a realistic humorous depiction of love. The speaker describes partner as clumsy and, highlighting their flaws and quirks. Despite these imperfections the speaker’s love for their partner shines, as they appreciate the uniqueness andability that their partner brings to their life. This poem showcases a mature and enduring love where the couple has likely been together for a long time.
On the other, “Magic of Love” by Helen Fairies takes a more romantic and idealized approach to love. The poem emphasizes the magical and transformative power of love. The speaker portrays love as a blessing from above, capable of bringing comfort, happiness, and answering prayers. The tone of the poem is uplifting and optimistic, presenting love as a gift that should be treasured. The speaker in this poem seems to be in the early stages of a relationship, where love is still fresh and enchanting.
In terms of the perception of their partners, the speaker in “Love Poem” has a realistic and accepting view of their partner’s flaws. They find beauty in the clumsiness and unpredictability, appreciating the partner for who they are. On the other hand, the speaker in “Magic of Love” idealizes their partner, portraying them as gentle, kind, and the answer to all their prayers. Both poems depict a deep love and devotion to their partners, albeit with different perspectives.
In my view, “Love Poem” by John Frederick Nims resonates more with my understanding of love. It presents love in a realistic manner, acknowledging both the flaws and strengths of a relationship. The poem reminds us that true love embraces imperfections and finds beauty in the uniqueness of our partners. It captures the essence of a mature and enduring love that withstands the test of time.
The main point of “Love Poem” is to celebrate the imperfect nature of love and how it can bring joy amidst chaos. It highlights the importance of accepting our partner’s quirks and valuing them for who they are. The main point of “Magic of Love” is to emphasize the transformative power of love, portraying it as a magical force that brings happiness and fulfillment.
Overall, both poems offer different perspectives on love, with “Love Poem” taking a more realistic approach while “Magic of Love” presents an idealized view. However, both poems convey the profound impact that love can have on our lives, whether through accepting our partner’s flaws or experiencing the transformative power of love itself.
