poetry texts, poem archive at plagiarist.com

Thank-you to whomever created this site. I am facing a difficult time, my Nanny's funeral. This poem is what will be read from me as i cannot be with my family for the funeral.
Thanks again

This poem does not reflect the true greatness of Auden. 'Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone' - some of these lines are clumsy. I appreciate it my satisfy the plebian tastes of some of you. Those looking for something a tad more sophisticated, I emplore you to read some of his other work.

I emphatically disagree with Rebecca Gordon's comments above. Just naming intimidating literary terms such as "rhyme schemes," "themes," "opposing similies" (there are no similies in the poem) and "styles" does not criticism make. If you cannot present concrete textual evidence, then sit down and be quiet.

Quote from my sister-in-name Rebecca G on May 29; "Actually think of a piegon with a napkin for a bow tie and see how ridiculous this image is!"

My image when reading this particular line ("Put crêpe bows round the white necks of the public doves") was of pidgeons wearing a white crêpe collar - not a bow tie. I wore one myself singing in a church choir - maybe this is why I associated the line with a collar instead of a tie. And I also have never seen crêpe used in napkins. Wouldnt work very well i think. Anyway its an interesting comment - how Auden is suppose to be playing with us - and looking back I think the makers of the movie "Four weddings ..." must have had the same notion. Using this poem to mourn the very flamboyant character of Simon Callow (who wore bow ties ALL the time) I think is a hint toward this.

truly bleak and beautiful at the same time

This poem is an absolute beauty! This poem is particularly impressive as it does not talk about death as being a form of redemption and while many will certianly argue it is. THe poem mroe or less speaks of death as the passing of a personand it is this very use of ausend hauntingly simple praise of death that makes thsi poem beautiful. In four weddings and a funeral thi poem emphasis the loss of a dear friend. My mother was recently disgnosed with cancer and in a strange way this poem had been helping me through it not so much the tones of death in the poem but the amont of love that it entales for my mother is truly "my north, my south, my east and west"

I think Rebecca Gordon is 'missing the point'.

It is indeed an absurd look at the extremites of mourning, where it has become almost fashionable to think that, in death, life should be celebrated. This poem is a potrayal of wanting the opposite, wanting the sun, the moon and oceans, even the doves (Columbidae family, not same as pigeon) to mourn your loss. It is symbolism of the fact that "the world doesnt stop" even though in the midst of one's mourning it feels like it bloody should.

Anyway, as art, it is not owned by the producer. Rather it is free for the receptor to interpret individually and as such no one is really 'missing the point' at all.

Oh, and I believe that the actual name of the poem is XX. 'Funeral Blues' is from the movie.

I just have to say that I absolutely love this poem. I am a junior in high school and everytime I have had a poetry related project I choose this poem. Ever since I saw Four Weddings and a Funeral this has been my favorite poem. I recommend that everyone reads it and sees the movie.

this poem is a work of art a has a lot of meaning. At 14 years of age i am touched immensely!