<p>When they taught me that what mattered most
was not the strict iambic line goose-stepping
over the page but the variations
in that line and the tension produced
on the ear by the surprise of difference,
I understood yet didn't understand
exactly, until just now, years later
in spring, with the trees already lacy
and camellias blowsy with middle age,
I looked out and saw what a cold front had done
to the garden, sweeping in like common language,
unexpected in the sensuous
extravagance of a Maryland spring.
There was a dark edge around each flower
as if it had been outlined in ink
instead of frost, and the tension I felt
between the expected and actual
was like that time I came to you, ready
to say goodbye for good, for you had been
a cold front yourself lately, and as I walked in
you laughed and lifted me up in your arms
as if I too were lacy with spring
instead of middle aged like the camellias,
and I thought: so this is Poetry!</p>
<p>There was a question that asked how the experience in nature was related to the feelings toward a love one, and I put they were connected by the cold front since she mentioned that he was just like the one she observed in nature..</p>
<p>wait...is that the same question???...i think the question was...what the sweeping cold front did..the choices that linked the garden of the prosody...or the contrast between the rigid form of poetry and disorder in nature...i was confused about those true</p>
<p>I thought I did quite well with these passages, however I had to go back to fix a few of my answers. I thought that one about Charlotte and Arthur sounded like Jane Austen! My mom watches the A&E Pride and Prejudice miniseries, like every other weekend. But what did the shadow of the wind thing (or whatever it was) mean? The one with the choices like, a fierce storm had just passed, and the sun was setting. I didn't answer with either of those - I don't remember my answer - but, what was it? I was stuck on that one for a little bit. Also, I put that Willie, regarding the dancing around the restaurant, was happy to play the role, or something along those lines. What do you think?</p>
<p>Oh yeah, I put that Hally and Sam/Willie and 'conflicting ideas of ballroom dancing', but I almost answered with inexperienced beginner/two veterans, but I figured Hally wasn't really a beginner, he was just writing about it. Thoughts?</p>
<p>Just like the writing i left like 5 blank and guessed on 5.
Was "The sheaves" the last passage? Darnit, I wasn't able to get to that part.</p>
<p>And some of the questions were "something that remind her when she thought of the garden??" and some answers i recall were, her lessons, "surprise difference", and her lover, or something like that. I picked I and II.
And the other one was about the last line. And another one was about the tension she felt. i think i got those last two right, although, i can vaguely recall the answer. It was a pretty good poem.</p>
<p>The other one was concerning "lamps". There was a quesiton that involved the unidle nature, as well as what sort of proof does he give to critics? And when "they should dance to please a gazer eye" does the answer involve celestial heavens?</p>
<p>And for the child and adult poem, i felt that the adults were protecting the children and that as the light went on, he felt that the outside darkness was closer or something. Another answer was that the child felt an impending loss while the adults already did. And the other one i felt the answer was "general to personal". </p>
<p>And the other one was the ballroom. I hated it. Time was running out so i had to skim thru it and guess the best answers.</p>
<p>I can recall more fragments, but to spare all i'll stop. I just don't htink i did well. Agh.</p>
<p>yeah i put the one about Willie being happy to play the other role also...helloiamaka are you sure about the conflicting ideas...i couldn't decide between the two you mentioned but i'm pretty sure i put the other one...blaaahhhh....i had no time to read the thing again!!!...saysua...i did really badly now that i think of it...but keep going if you can think of more questions...i need to decide if i have to cancel my score!!</p>