Jungle
By Robert Kelly

As stated in class, I had to re-read this poem multiple times in order to understand the meaning of it. I am still not quite positive of the exact intention, but I think the poet does that on purpose. That maybe it is meant to be open for various forms of interpretation.
When I first read it, the poem reminded me of greed. Of being in constant state of wanting and receiving in order to just have more. This is probably because of the last line “The core of it is to be more.” However, now I read it and thoughts of growth and dependency come to mind. This image is conflicted with a trapt sensation that I get from reading the poem as well. For instance, because of lines like “I thought these feelings into place and now feelings have no place to thing their own” and “skeleton of earlier design, that leaves no room for breath or search or care” brings to mind a images of restraint. So to me the message seems very conflicted. On one hand it’s about movement and growth, but the tone of the poem seems also negative and captured in an endless cycle of expansion and outgrowth.


The Cuban Doctor
By Wallace Stevens

At first, I was really confused by this poem. It seemed rather illogical to me and random. I think it was because I was thinking of everything to literally, for instance once we discussed that the references to Egypt and an Indian hinted at the differing cultures the poem started to take shape. It seems as though the artist has tried to escape from some sort of cyclical chaos represented by India, and has hidden away where there is order and systemization. Only to find that he cannot escape his mayhem.