The Levels Inside - Zelda Peach
Even though I love it, poetry has always been a struggle for me. I feel as if it can have so many different levels of meaning. I often never know where to start or if where I end up is the right place. But then again, that is what is so beautiful about poetry, it has no real right or wrongs. It simply exists in its words with its levels of meaning waiting to be unlocked. Almost as if it were a puzzle where all the pieces always fit together, and it was up to the maker to decide on the layout. Poetry's meaning is what it means to you, and what is relevant in your life. At least, that is how I view poetry.
Now, this doesn't mean that certain kinds of poetry don't have plot and or structure, as is illustrated in "The Dream of the Rood". Certainly, this poem has a meaning, a plot, and a structure. But how exactly these things are taken is up to the reader. From a Christian perspective, we might grasp the significance of what Christ endured for us. But for an atheist, they might only view it as a touching story filled with the pain and suffering of a mere mortal man. Being Christians, we can use this advantage/ Christian view of the poem to find and better understand its deep moments.
This poem is, of course, the story of the cross on which Jesus died for our sins. It seems to cleverly take the viewpoint of a man in a dream who is hearing the cross/ a tree tell its journey. The cross says that when it was a tree that"strong enemies seized me" and how it was made to take part in the cruel act of Jesus's death. But the part that means the most to me, is what the cross says about holding up Jesus. The Cross says "I bore aloft the mighty King, / the Lord of Heaven. I dared not stoop. / They drove nails into me; dire wounds are there to see, / the gasping gashes of malice; I dared not injure them. / They insulted us both together; / I was drenched in the blood / that streamed from the Man's side after He set His spirit free." (lines 46-51).
To me, this section of the poem has so much meaning. The tree/cross is saying that he stood tall out of respect for Christ and that he "dared not stoop". He speaks of the driving nails and the flinching without daring to be injured. Interestingly, he even mentions the insult that it was, by using God's given world and creation to kill his own son by saying "They insulted us both". But overall, he speaks of Jesus being set free by dying for our sins. Yes, there is certainly a lot of power in the punch of this one little section, that is why I like poetry. Some things are just much better said in verse or rhyme, and something about a meter is just great at retaining emotion.
I commented on Zane and Sydney's blogs
Now, this doesn't mean that certain kinds of poetry don't have plot and or structure, as is illustrated in "The Dream of the Rood". Certainly, this poem has a meaning, a plot, and a structure. But how exactly these things are taken is up to the reader. From a Christian perspective, we might grasp the significance of what Christ endured for us. But for an atheist, they might only view it as a touching story filled with the pain and suffering of a mere mortal man. Being Christians, we can use this advantage/ Christian view of the poem to find and better understand its deep moments.
This poem is, of course, the story of the cross on which Jesus died for our sins. It seems to cleverly take the viewpoint of a man in a dream who is hearing the cross/ a tree tell its journey. The cross says that when it was a tree that"strong enemies seized me" and how it was made to take part in the cruel act of Jesus's death. But the part that means the most to me, is what the cross says about holding up Jesus. The Cross says "I bore aloft the mighty King, / the Lord of Heaven. I dared not stoop. / They drove nails into me; dire wounds are there to see, / the gasping gashes of malice; I dared not injure them. / They insulted us both together; / I was drenched in the blood / that streamed from the Man's side after He set His spirit free." (lines 46-51).
To me, this section of the poem has so much meaning. The tree/cross is saying that he stood tall out of respect for Christ and that he "dared not stoop". He speaks of the driving nails and the flinching without daring to be injured. Interestingly, he even mentions the insult that it was, by using God's given world and creation to kill his own son by saying "They insulted us both". But overall, he speaks of Jesus being set free by dying for our sins. Yes, there is certainly a lot of power in the punch of this one little section, that is why I like poetry. Some things are just much better said in verse or rhyme, and something about a meter is just great at retaining emotion.
I commented on Zane and Sydney's blogs
This poem was so incredibly moving to me. It wasn't something I had ever really thought about before - that God's creation with no soul would know that it was helping kill its creator. Not gonna lie, I may have shed a tear or two. The cross as a symbol has a renewed meaning for me now, and what a powerful meaning it is!
ReplyDeleteI talked about this in my blog post! I agree, I loved the section of the poem that talks about how the tree "stood firm" because if the tree hadn't have stood firm, then Christ would have no support, he would not have successfully died on that cross. It is a very beautiful picture that is painted in this story, and I am very glad we read it.
ReplyDeleteZane Duke