~10/12/2011~

Today's million-dollar question: What makes a good poem?

*          *          *

Ola :) I posted about the previous day in the previous post, by the way. I decided it was time to rekindle to blogging spirit before I never do -.-

I woke up at 12 -.- Not good, I know, but to be fair, I slept very late last night.

That's no excuse, but it'll have to do for now -.-

Since I had only 2 hours before my English tuition with the Madame, I did her work first. It was to find out what Robert Browning was doing and how he was feeling when he wrote "My Last Duchess". It's an absolutely fantastic poem. I love that poem a lot.

Then again, I haven't read many poems so I'm not qualified to say anything like it being my favourite.

Bleghh~

"My Last Duchess" - Robert Browning
That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall,
Looking as if she were alive. I call
That piece a wonder, now: Fra Pandolf’s hands
Worked busily a day, and there she stands.
Will’t please you sit and look at her? I said
“Fra Pandolf” by design, for never read
Strangers like you that pictured countenance,
The depth and passion of its earnest glance,
But to myself they turned (since none puts by
The curtain I have drawn for you, but I)
And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst,
How such a glance came there; so, not the first
Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir, ’twas not
Her husband’s presence only, called that spot
Of joy into the Duchess’ cheek: perhaps
Fra Pandolf chanced to say “Her mantle laps
Over my lady’s wrist too much,” or “Paint
Must never hope to reproduce the faint
Half-flush that dies along her throat”: such stuff
Was courtesy, she thought, and cause enough
For calling up that spot of joy. She had
A heart—how shall I say?—too soon made glad,
Too easily impressed; she liked whate’er
She looked on, and her looks went everywhere.
Sir, ’twas all one! My favour at her breast,
The dropping of the daylight in the West,
The bough of cherries some officious fool
Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule
She rode with round the terrace—all and each
Would draw from her alike the approving speech,
Or blush, at least. She thanked men,—good! but thanked
Somehow—I know not how—as if she ranked
My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name
With anybody’s gift. Who’d stoop to blame
This sort of trifling? Even had you skill
In speech—(which I have not)—to make your will
Quite clear to such an one, and say, “Just this
Or that in you disgusts me; here you miss,
Or there exceed the mark”—and if she let
Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set
Her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse,
—E’en then would be some stooping; and I choose
Never to stoop. Oh sir, she smiled, no doubt,
Whene’er I passed her; but who passed without
Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands;
Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands
As if alive. Will’t please you rise? We’ll meet
The company below, then. I repeat,
The Count your master’s known munificence
Is ample warrant that no just pretence
Of mine for dowry will be disallowed;
Though his fair daughter’s self, as I avowed
At starting, is my object. Nay, we’ll go
Together down, sir. Notice Neptune, though,
Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity,
Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me!

Nice, right? It's got a lot of meaning too :) But you gotta read between the lines and all that. Absolutely fantastique.

:)

Anyways, after doing that, I did my Theory work. Bleghh~ Class was at 2:30p.m today because Madame came late. There was a lot of confusion regarding the time and whatnot -.- Lesson went well, nonetheless. Shortly before 4 o'clock, my brother came back from his driving school. He had just finished his 5-hour lecture at Surfine. He needs to go back for the test on the 15th.

Honestly, I'm too scared to think what he'll do once he gets behind the wheel. I don't wanna die so fast. I've got a long life ahead of me.

-.-

Bleghh~

Madame left at 4:30p.m, so I had to bloody rush to finish my Theory work, then go off to the office for my class. Lesson was okay. I got more homework, but it'll be alright for me because I won't be having lessons with them till next year.

Mwahaha :P

Thank God for my family dinners et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

Haha.

After class, I went back home where I used the computer for a while before we all went out for dinner with my grandpa, aunt and uncle from PJ. Had it at the restaurant near the Shell station. Nice, as always. We then went to buy apung from the night market after dinner then proceeded to send my sister off to Bangi for her camp.

I was supposed to go but I stayed at home. She probably resents me a little for that, but oh well :P

Went to sleep at 12 something :) That's it for the 10th. Will blog about yesterday in the next post :) CIAO!!

P/S: Please click on my Nuffnang ads :) Thanks!!