"Humument" Blog Post

On page 210 of Tom Phillips’ A Humument, Phillips suggests that music and poetry can be used to create beauty out of an ordinary image or idea. Phillips uses two main colors for this piece: black and a very light tint of grey, which indicates the two factors, music and poetry working in harmony. He also uses patterns with his shapes, suggesting the rhythm of both arts. The most prominent feature, the flower, is the main subject of the piece, as it is surrounded by the numerous patterns.

Before any text, there are numerous vertical black lines that go across the page. Phillips places these lines close together, creating a vague image. The lines can be described as having a repeated or pattern-like quality to the general space they use. The continuous vertical lines imply that the subject of the piece will involve having patterns or rhythm to it. The text then begins at the end of the vertical line pattern, and below it, an array of other shapes take place. Corresponding to the text, the lines could also be the beginning of a story, told by the rhythm and patterns that follow, much like how a poem or song’s rhythm may describe its subject or subjects. Following the text, a series of shapes within one another are vertically placed in a large light grey rectangle. The smaller shapes are all within circles, which may be symbolic for eternity, since a circle has no beginning, nor end. The first circle contains a square that is tilted in a way such that its for corners point North, South, East, and West. The second circle contains a smaller circle, followed by the third which holds an oval, and then the fourth with a square. The fifth one has the same shape as the first, and a seemingly sixth circle looks to have the same qualities as the second. These shapes placed by Phillips suggest that there is a continuous pattern between these shapes. This is another pattern that suggests that the subject of the piece is music and poetry, for both have this quality to them. The piece seems to end with the image of a flower. The flower has the same color patterning as the rest of the page, yet it is the most beautiful image among the lines and common shapes. It is Page 21’s most prominent feature because of its distinct shape, shadows, and highlights. The flower is surrounded by different shapes and patterns, referring that the piece is the song or poem about the flower. The final text is also in the middle of the flower, signifying its importance.

The colors, shapes, and patterns are not the only features to Phillip’s piece. The text also suggests that music and poetry can describe something ordinary in a distinguished manner. After the initial vertical line pattern, the text begins. The narrator begins by telling the reader information that seems irrelevant to what he or she actually intends to enlighten the reader of. However, the narrator continues by suddenly changing the subject. “I married; and each time I’ve made thirty per cent on what I paid for it. Listen – shall I tell you one little good story?” This matches up with the initial pattern since it is the exposition of a song or poem, much like the image as a whole starts out with the simple vertical lines. The second piece of text is a compile of words from the original text, which are not in order as the first piece is. The first “sentence” says “The allusion Anacreon”. Anacreon refers to the Greek lyric poet who was notable for hiss love songs, drinking songs, and hymns. The use of the lyrical poet in Phillips piece suggests that the main topic revolves around an idea pertaining to a song or poem. The text continues with “To versational lyre called by a euphemism, amatory; and successful experiences were now poured into the Englishman’s ears…” The final piece of text is found in the middle of the flower. “The mere sound of the colour of a flower” suggests that the flower’s physical attribute is described through music. Basically the text states that in reference to Anacreon, his indirect meanings through musical poetry pertaining expressions of love and stories told to the character, perhaps the protagonist, could also be used to describe simple objects to create a beautiful piece of art.

In conclusion, Phillips use of patterns, harmony, and lyrical references are describing how poetry and music illustrate their subjects. Phillips ability to create meaning is clearly shown through his art.

"Red Shift" Explication - Early Work

Poetry often features unwritten meaning and messages. Poets often portray these meaning using clues. Clues such as describing the setting as colorless and cold may suggest that the speaker is lonely or depressed. In the poem "Red Shift", the poet Ted Berrigan suggests that the speaker is nearing the end of his days because of the fact that he uses clues such as setting, human reaction, denial, and acceptance.

The poet uses the setting and the speaker's reaction as a way to signify death drawing near. For example, the poet writes that "The air is biting, February" (line 2), signifying that it is the dead of winter, everything is cold and lifeless. Death is often associated with winter; therefore, the writer uses the winter setting to signify death. The speaker is also very bleak, describing the desires of life to be "burning". "Love, children, hundreds of them, money, marriage ethics, a politics of grace, up in the air, swirling, burning even or still, now more than ever before" (lines 15-18). The speaker seems to have lost all of that, indicating that those desires are no longer needed, since they will lose them anyways.

Often times, people reminisce about the past when they know their short for time. The speaker in the poem seems to be lost in the moments of his life throughout the poem. For example, "The Calvados is being sipped on Long Island now twenty years almost ago...” (Lines 10-11), is a direct statement of a memory that is apparently from 20 years ago. Another example is how the speaker talks about the various people they've known. People often think back to those who have impacted their lives, especially nearing death. Denial and then a realization of fate is written by the poet to signify the speaker's inevitable doom. The poet shows the speaker's denial of their demise by writing "I'm 43. When will I die? I will never die, I will live to be 110, and I will never go away.." (31-32). Although the speaker doesn't admit their fate at first, they then reference them self as a "ghost" or "spirit", as if they are already dead. "You will never escape from me who am always and only a ghost, despite this frame, Spirit who lives only to nag" (32-34). Finally, the speaker accepts his fate in the last lines of the poem. "Alone and crowded, unhappy fate, nevertheless I slip softly into the air..." (40-41).

In conclusion, the poet uses many words, metaphors, and symbols to show that the speaker of the poem is knocking on death's door, reluctantly,\nand almost regretfully. Thus ending the poem with a melancholy mood that shows the reader that the speaker accepts his fate, and death is drawing near.

Shattered

Here I am at his house, staring at the shattered picture frame
The air is tense, and I am alreadyon the way to escape out into the streetscape
I drink some cold water sitting on the counter which alters moods
and seems to have given my thoughts time to settle and to sink
In. The streets look for a friend, a sign, or me, I myself am weak and I'm sorry, I just can't leave, Its just too difficult to do, too difficult on me. I think
through it, them, as
we laughed together sipped on coffee at the shop now
4 years almost ago, and the man who came in every morning , making the same order, listening to stories & telling.
Who would have thought that I'd be here, nothing
complete and have lost almost, everything
And everything that had ever mattered, love, passion, life, mentality goes,
Up in the air and bursts into flames when I need them, now more than ever before?
Not that you ever cared for me before, at age 16, in the drenched, weathered coat
eyes penetrating into the depths of your soul
& crying in shame. Not that kid who never made it past preteen, who was
going to have to go, careening into the cement structure so, To die, & to never mature, to live, to love, imagine so to go.
Not that lover who from very first meeting
I would never & never want to live without until we are buried
into the earth inside our caskets & so demanded
To love & who will never leave me, not for money, nor religion,
nor even the pretty girl next door which is
Only our human lot & means everything. No, not her.
There's a song, "Join Me In Death", but no, I won't do that
I am weary. When will I die? I will never die. I will live
To be absolete, & I will never go away, & you will never escape from me
who am always & only a woman despite this primal rage. Spirit
Who lives only to weep.
I'm only one person, & I am heart broken, & I didn't expect to be betrayed
I came into your life to be your only one,
the only muse,
the only one you see
Now its over & I guess thats just fate, nevertheless
I will always see only you
The world's riches and beauties mean nothing anymore.

"Red Shift" poem assignment, my Favorite work