Robert Creeley - recommendation

Robert Creeley 
(May 21, 1926 – March 30, 2005)  




In fact, I can't say I know much about this poet. But I can say this I love his poems. I read his poem at the first time in an American Poetry class around 2 years ago.

What pop in your mind when you hear the word 'poem'?
I imagined 'complexity' and 'vague words' in the past. At that time, I read lots of poems but still it's kind of thing which I can't understand clearly and just admire.
But Robert creeley's poems help me to break that streotypes.

Poetry is not a difficult things - some are still difficult to me but not everything.
At least, Creeley's poems are not difficult. So today I want to introduce his several poems to you.

The Language

by Robert Creeley 

Locate I

love you some-

where in

teeth and   

eyes, bite   

it but

take care not   

to hurt, you   

want so

much so   

little. Words   

say everything.

I

love you

again,

then what   

is emptiness   

for. To

fill, fill.

I heard words   

and words full

of holes   

aching. Speech   

is a mouth.

                                    

                                   

                                             from The poetry Foundation 

Is it difficult? when I took a TESOL course in Melbourne, Australia , I taught literature for year 10 class. And in the last class, I asked this question to students.

"what do you feel when you hear the word 'Poem'?"

students answered just like I expected. 

Difficult, hard to understand, not intereating, Abstract.

then, I read this poem loud for students. After I finished, I asked them again.

"Is it difficult?"

They said "no"

Then I recited "this is just to say" as well (written by willian carlos williams)

They were teenagers. They seemed shy to speak what they thinks about love and relationship. So I spoke my thoughts about the poem.

Some of them, refused to accept my thought (Some of them, boys, might think love is silly or shy thing to say ^^). However some of them nodded their head.

About Love and Language

In this poem, the poet described the word 'love' as like a object which we can touch.  Even he tells us "bite it but take care not to hurt." I felt, to the poet the word 'love' is delicate and fragile thing and people can bite it to feel the real body of that. 

Then he says, "you want so much so little" 

Remember or Think the feeling of love. when we fall in love we disappoint so easily - like his/her simple and silly words and behavior - and we satisfy at once with simple and silly words.

When I was in love, I hoped my lover recognize my small changes. I was in despair at his inadvertence and I was happy with his one word. "you want so much so little" might describe the capricious of lovers.

"words say everything"

Question1.

We could say everything with words but Is it everything?

Question 2.

If you are in love, can you express your feeling and emotion without a word?

Indeed, Words say everything. When you say a word, you believed in a word. But I can't sure a word can contain the whole feeling of love or hate or etc.

"I love you again"

The speaker in the poem says "I love you" again to fill the emptiness. 

Words fill an emptiness but It can make people feel emptiness in a pain as well.

 

"speech is a mouth"

This part is most difficult one for me. yes, speech is a mouth. we speak with our mouth. We make a sound to express our feelings. But sometimes, we recognize that we can't say everything by words. sometimes, we need to use our eyes and bodies to express our true emotions. so I think, this sentense represents the limit of language and infinite of language at the same time. 

How do you feel about my post?

I hope you enjoy my messy words. For the last, I'm going to let you read another popular poem of Robert Creeley.

Enjoy it!

The Flower
                Robert Creeley

       
I think I grow tensions
like flowers
in a wood where
nobody goes.

Each wound is perfect,
encloses itself in a tiny
imperceptible blossom,
making pain.

Pain is a flower like that one,
like this one,
like that one,
like this one

(+)

I'm sure that you'll love this video.

(from Youtube by the Poetry Foundation)