When it comes to analyzing poetry I am not very good at it. I more just like to read it and enjoy and not have to pick it all apart and try to figure out all sorts of meanings to each line. The James Dickey poems were interesting, not my favorite, but they were good. I liked the poem "The Heaven of Animals" and it really is the first one that stands out to me when I think of all the poems. When we were discussing in class the themes that Dickey brings into his poems, I mentioned "eternal life after death." I feel that this poem portrays this theme because it talks about the animals in their heavenly place. When I think of Heaven, I think of eternity. I also thought it was interesting that Dickey is describing the "Heaven of Animals" because I know for myself, as a child and I guess even still to a point today, wonder where animals go when they die, do they go to Heaven? In Dickey's eyes they do, and they expereince all the same things as we would when we die and go to Heaven, Eternal life and a place of happiness.
posted by Amy Petersen @ 4:58 PM
2 Comments:
At 5:20 AM,
Julie said…
I think "Heaven of Animals" is another example of how Dickey believes that there are more connections to human and animals that we generally think. The fact that he does give an eternal life for animals, and speaks about eternal life for humans in other poems, shows how he relates the species and all of nature together. Children are often told that animals go to Heaven, and it's a wonder what does happen, and this is one strong view.
At 5:41 AM,
Lish said…
Good point. I too would rather just read poetry and not have to look any further into it than just my basic enjoyment, but you do bring up a question that I have often wondered as well. Along with how animals communicate (which baffles me) I have also wondered if there is an afterlife for them and I think that you just put my mind at ease with your simple answer using Dickey's poem to aid in your response.
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