CerModern Excursion – Rain - The Lodger

Erwin Olaf, does a great job at capturing emotions and reflecting them to his audience. His depiction of a man in the his artwork “The Lodger” is one that has spoke to me the most. Superficially, the man is just a man in a house. But when you look closely in to the photograph, you start to see some details in the picture that make it what it is. The man in the photograph has and expression on his face that suggests he is not happy with where he is. He is rather desperate for some help. His duffel bag seems to tell us that he is moving away and the tattoo on his chest tells us that he does have hopes of leaving and going away for some time. The look on his face is annoyed and you can tell it is because of his current situation.
When Loren Eiseley said that humans possessed great art a long time ago, he was quite right. Even though the art in Laceaux caverns are nowhere near what we see here today we can understand what Eiseley was reffering to. Look at this one small photograph of a man standing. How many things do you understand about the man? How much can you know about him by simply looking at his facial expressions? Although all these are true of what Eiseley wrote, without the intellectual capacity that man has and that which also isolates him from the rest of the beings on our wonderful planet, the understanding of thsi picture would be impossible.
The artist can not succeed his task simply by painting or taking a picture. The audience needs to be involved and needs to be able to think about what the artist meant when doing what he did. The painting is merely a messenger between the painter and the audience. It can have any meaning in the world depending on who looks at it. The man in the photograph I chose might seem desperate to me but to some other viewer, he will seem troubled or sad. Without the contribution of the intellectual capacity of man, a photograph or a painting is nothing of worth. Humans interact in many more ways than just talking, and the visual arts is simply one of them. Just as a musician needs to imagine as he composes, so does an artist have to think of what he is doing or what message he sends when he is drawing. Without these cognitive processes, we are nothing and art is non-existent.

Nature is devious; she will lie if she can. - "Winter of Man"

Nature is devious. It cannot be what you expect it to be all the time. It has ever since the dawn of man. Everything seems to be in a certain order and cause-and-effect relationship but truly nothing is what it seems to be. Nature is man's biggest rival. We seem to have forgotten this part of nature in our daily lives that are spent indoors most of the time. What about the ones who still live together with nature? How happy are they when the cold winter comes? We are all fooled by the serene and friendly façade. The spring makes a fool out of us, ALL the time. We have these molds that we place nature into, to which nature responds by changing itself. Thinking of this year, the winter has lasted much longer than what nature had told us in the previous years.

Nature is a thing of change, we can never know what will happen next. The spontaneous events that take place as we move along our timeline that we call life, create nature. Nature is the sum of all spontaneous acts. It is not only the grass and birds around us. It is much more sophisticated that that. It is the details of what we do in our everyday lives.

Man is alone in the universe. - "The Long Loneliness"

Mankind, it seems, is alone in the universe. We as the human race think we are alone with our level of intellect. We cannot dream of interacting with other animals the way we do with other individuals of our society. Of course it is always possible that we as humans may not be aware of such occurences in nature, but nevertheless, whether we are unable to communicate with animal because they have a higher intellect or whether we think we are too smart that simple dogs cannot dream of communicating with us, it is true that the only friends we have as of right now are other humans.
Although many think that this may be the case, I beg to differ. Humans are far from alone in this universe. If we simply look around we see the many wonders of nature around us. The plants and animals and human all live in harmony. As you get further into nature, you see all the ecology around you looks like it is the part of a puzzle. Humans are alone in the sense that we are smarter; yes. But never can we say that we are alone with our little selves in this whole universe. Our planet is filled with wonders of nature where everything works in an orderly fashion.
Humans however are alone once again because we are the ones who destroy this beautiful balance. While growing apart from nature, we have left our sense of preserving the nature along with our ancestors. We upset the balance, and surely enough if we don't stop doing so, one day we WILL be alone on this planet. Imagine what that will be like.
No, we are not alone in this universe. Nature takes care of us. We should return the favor.

Reapers?

Kings with the sound of disappoinment in loss,
Are sharpening ideas. I see them place swords
In their belts as a thing that's done.
And start their quiet killing, one by one.
War carriages drive a sound through the woods,
And there, a soldier, aching, screaming dies,
His hands close to his face. I see the sword,
Blood-stained, continue slashing men and boys.

As it turned out, I was utterly mistaken in my interpretation of this poem as it went like this;

Black reapers with the sound of steel on stones
Are sharpening scythes. I see them place the hones
In their hip-pockets as a thing that's done,
And start their silent swinging, one by one.
Black horses drive a mower through the weeds,
And there, a field rat, startled, squealing bleeds,
His belly close to ground. I see the blade,
Blood-stained, continue cutting weeds and shade.

-Jean TOOMER

There is nothing normal about nature. - "How Flowers Changed the World"

There are no norms to nature. Nature is an entity of its own, growing, evolving and adapting itself to the acts of mankind. Nature cannot be regarded as a pattern of seasons that go over and over through the years. Nature should be thought of as a living organism that can grow and adapt just like any other species in the world. It is very much like a live animal that can change itself according to its own needs. Think of global warming and how nature acts to the build-up of carbon dioxide in the environment.
Nature is an unstoppable force. The tsunamis we face in our days prove this fact and they are nature’s way of telling humans not to mess with it. Humans tend to forget that they are nothing without Mother Nature. We are helpless without the nutrients we get from the meat we eat and that meat is only as useful as the plants it eats every day. Yet the selfish way we waste nature in our modern day life reflects back to us in that same selfish way. The tsunamis in discussion are nature’s very selfish way of rescuing itself from certain death. Nature is as aggressive as we are and will do anything it needs to survive.
No, nature has no brain neither can it be held or touched. Nature is not a series of algorithms that make up one big entity. It is a living entity just as big (if not bigger than) as mankind. Nature is in no way normal or predictable. Everything that occurs around us is an act of nature, from tsunamis to mere dust flying the wind. True, some acts of nature have certain patterns, like the way you know when it will rain. Yet we can never be certain of nature’s power, we can only try to get along with it as best we can and not anger it. Mother Nature’s fury is not one to be dealt with easily.

Time is a series of planes existing superficially in the same universe. - "The Bird and the Machine"

Time is simply a concept created by mankind. Who says a day is made up of a mere 24 hours? Who can be sure that a week really exists? Time is simply an agenda helping us keep track of when we are doing what. Time simply has to do with our planet earth and cannot be the same anywhere else in the universe. The watched we make are all artificial and they are mere instruments that give us a the wrong information.
One can never “tell” time. Time itself is a basic theory created by mankind to able to conduct certain tasks at certain “times” of the day. The truth in my opinion is that we all exist within this concept of time and it is greater than anything the human mind is able to perceive. Even if it is the fourth dimension as Einstein says it is, human brain is not evolved enough to be able to manipulate it like we do with three-dimensional objects. Because when you think of it, time has nothing to do with other beings. It can exist in solitude long before and after the universe.
In that sense, we can never know what we would consider as time. We can not say whether it is a plane or multiple planes simply because we can not know. Time on its own is larger than anything in this universe we live in. However, I cannot go without saying that it is obvious that time is somehow affected by the forces of our universe. Perhaps it is the gravity in our world or some other force but is apparent that each planet has a time frame of its own. All in all, to be able to understand time to the fullest extent we have to be able detach ourselves from this notion that time can be measured or that it could b “told.” Truth is, time is a roaring waterfall.

(Ironic that Pink Floyd’s song “Time” came up while writing this.)

The summer issue draws near...

http://blis.bilkent.edu.tr/ifmag/htms/

Richard III & Prospero

Man: Sir, there is a man wishing to see you.
Prospero: Who is he did he say his name?
Man: Said his name is Richard III.
P: Well, let him in. Who is this Richard guy who has come to see me?
OHH! Stop right there if you bring news of war i have no interest and you have my permission to leave.
Richard: Sire, I have no intention of war.
P: Who are you? Where do you come from?
R: I come from England sire, my name is richard ııı the duke of gloucester.
P: OHH! Richard from Inglaterra! How are you, how’s th weather?
R: Splendid sire, splendid. Yet there is one problem. Right now is the winter of...
P: Hahahah what is this you are telling me?
R: Sire, my brother King Edward has now taken over the throne. And he claims he will bring happiness into people’s lives.
P: You’re brother has taken over the throne? Ahahaha. What a coincidence. Please Ricardo take a seat. And enough of this sire business please call me Prospero, you know, the Duke of Milan.
R: Thanks p. I have come all the way from england to ask for your advice, I have heard of your fame that has spread through these lands for the past 20 years.
P: My fame? What have I done to be famous?
R: P, I know what you have done. My problem is that my brother Edward has takenover the throne and is now reigning over my people. And being my ambitious self I want the throne for myself. And not for everyone else.
P: OHH.
R: Yeah you might say that, but the truth is I deserve the throne. I’m the only one to control what is going on, I am the only one strong enough.
P: Wait wait, stop. Aren’t you a duke as of now?
R: That’s right Prosper.
P: I myself am a duke. It’s not a big deal.
R: P someone as strong as you should be more than just a duke ruling over such small lands, you should be a king. As should I.
P: but you see I have recnetly been really old and tired, I cannot afford to be the king. I do not even want to be the king. Why should ı be King?
R: P I know what you have done on that island 20 years ago when you were stranded there for a long time. I know what you have done to your brothers and what they have done to you. And P I have come to seek for your advice.
P: OHH! That was twelve years ago. You say yourself.
R: Yes, it was twelve years ago yet it does not matter.
P: I was young and I had magic. Now I have retired from that.
R: It does not matter P. I do not want magical forces. Sir my plan is to, as you have done in the past, to kill my brothers. And take over the throne instead of letting them rule over me for this long time. İ have come to learn about your tactics. Could you help me?
P: Okay if you would like to know the truth then I will tell you. I’d rather be a penniless peasant on the streets than kill my brothers and become king.
R: Sir, haven't you already killed your brothers?
P: No, who told you that? You say my fame is all across Inglaterra, have they not told you that I havent touched a single hair on their bodies? They’re alive and stiff!
R: So you are saying that you forgave them?
P: Hah! But of course I have forgiven them!
R: I do not believe that!
P: I wıll call you my dearest servant Ariel maybe you have heard of him
R: I have heard but I also heard that you left him on the island?
P: Oh no, after he gained his freedom he cam along with me. To help me personally.
R: Oh really?
P: Of course! Ariel, do present yourself and please tell this young gentleman that I have forgiven all my rivals and that I no longer hold any grudge.
A: bla bla bla bla bla
P: So as you can see..and let me tell that Ariel is a very fine and honest soul – no pun intended – and a personal assisstant of mine. Thank you Ariel.
R: I do not like dealing with spirits by the way..So you say you have forgiven your brothers. I frankly do not understand how weak of a personality you could have. To forgive your borthers after what they have done to you?
P: But isn’t that what life is all about?
R: Life is all about gaining power, Prosper, and not about forgiving. You’ve been on that island for 12 years and you still did not manage to kill your brothers?
P: That island you've been referring to has been my home for more than 16 years! Besides life is about forgiveness.
R: That is just rubbish!
P: Now you be careful with your words.
R: You have married your daughter to the first man that she had ever met! You married her to someone that she had never seen before!
P: My daughter was very relieved when she saw the first human being on that island. And she fell in love and now they are very happy!
R: I don't believe you.
P: Then I call my daughter so that she can tell you all about it. Miranda, Miranda! My daughter, my beloved! Please approach my throne and tell this gentleman that you fell in love with Ferdinando at first sight and you are in excellent terms!
M: bla bla bla
P: You see Ricardo. My daughter is quite happy. I am quite happy!
R: Your daughter's husband is merely a fool!
P: You have no right to speak like that about my groom!
R: Well I have no right, and you have no passion! How can you live with being only a duke!
P: My friend you have been blinded by the power of human greed.
R: I am using my brains to accomplish my life time goal and take over the throne!
P: But Ricardo I tell you it is not worth it.
R: I know what is rightful and what isn't! I just requried your help but it is obvios that you are not keen in giving it to me! You have been lying to me since the beginning!
P: Ricardo, Ricardo! How dare you speak to me like that? My brother is still alive and stiff! I can show him to you right now in fact! Ariel, please help me summon Antonio and Sebastian here, because my magic no longer works. This is Antonio my brother, and this is Sebastian. Sebastian tell Ricardo that I have forgiven you because I have a great heart and that you are very regretful of your actions.
S: bla bla bla
P: Thank you Sebastian and Antonio! Ricardo, now you believe.
R: I do apologize Prosper, but I still cannot reason your thoughts about being happy as a duke. A simpel duke!
P: Sebastian tried to kill me but I forgave him and the others, so now we are all in peace.
R: Oh woudl you pelase stop going on about this peace business!! Have you no vision Prosper? Have you no dreams and no passion?!! I will most certainly do whatever it is to take over that throne!!
P: You came all the way to Milano for my advice and you are not taking it? Then do whatever you want Ricardo but do not forget my words!
R: Oh Prosper you are weaker than I could have ever imagined! How can you not fulfill your vengeance?!
P: Then do whatever you want I say!! But remember my words, on the battlefield, when you and your vengeance cry your lungs out screamign and begging for a horse to save your kingdom!
R: A horse? A horse??!!! MY kingdom for a HORSE??!!!!! Are you mad????!!!!
P: Don't do somethign that you will regret Ricardo!
R: My business here is done with!
P: Remember my words Ricardo!
R: (slams door shut behind)
P: Mamma mia! I hope he does not attempt anything...But hopefully one day he will understand that we are such stuff as dreams are made on.. and our little life is rounded with a sleep..

Maelstrom

Assists the storm,
this gallant with a piteous heart
at an hour when owls do cry.

Quitting the vessel,
is a cherubin.
Yet on the fresh springs there are figures;
these are devils.

Dashed all to pieces,
is the fine apparition
of the topsail.

Drowning,
we run ourselves aground.
Roaring, shrieking, howling is
the blue-eyed hag on the shore.

Then,
All's hushed.
As midnight.

Once

Floating on the pond was the green lily
Now, it has perished: dissolved in the fumes of industry.

The smell of chocolate filled my home,
Now, I hear all but the sweet scents of the past.

Outside was the hummingbird, singing to the sequoias,
Now the raven lurks in the jungle-like branches of the hawthorn.

The apples were juicy green,
Now, as blue as poison itself are the very stems.

The wind whooshed wildly with the scatter of leaves,
No more do I listen to the hymns of the seeds.

I watched the fishers in the morning, eager to make a living,
Now, no ships, no boats, no sail in the morning.

There was the merry men roaming the streets,
Now, no roaming, no peace.

My thoughts flew freely,
Darkness shadows my muse.

Traveling the mountains was the pack of wolves,
Now, only silent winds whistle through the cliffs.

There was the overflowing waters of the river,
Now, the river banks, arid as the cactus.

I was going home, back to the place that embalmed me in memories,
Now, that home is long gone, into the abyss.

I used to remember,
Now all I see: darkness.

The Fish

Hanging loosely
in the water
along the rocky ground, with his mouth
wide open like a

great
cavern.
When on top
of the steep mountain, disguises
itself from the ever-glowing

rays of sunlight.
The bass with gills of
crystals, slaloms
through the holes:
shimmering on

the surface of the
sea, in the eyes of the on-lookers
like dashing of the gigantic block
of mirror reflecting
the rays of sunlight, which

sparkle and create
like gems of the ancient times.
All the while in the ocean
the current of warmth
move peacefully along.

Remains
of the deepened
polluted sea, reeks of a
body of misuse.
Seeing

this in-
difference of passers-by to
the credibility of the burial of the nature's gifts
with empty looks in their eyes;

neglecting, disinterested and ignoring.
Collection of
nature's myriad of generous offerings, hover
recklessly in
the depths.

The Sea From the Mansion

Only years left until the last breath,

of the nostrils of immense magnitude,

that lie between the whiskers of wisdom

and the eyes of Jupiter.

While submerged in the water,

with the moss-stained lips

which outlines the prison

where arid cacti have long awaited the demise.

And when the cats of march sound in the spring,

loudspeakers the blue whale from the sea, with a ring,

and the eyes like a camera, start to sing.

------------------

'Twas when I was lying in the cold haze of the morning,

outside the mansion, when I heard the disastrous wailing.

Thanks to Ege Tokdemir for his help.

Musee des "Fall of Icarus"

Brueghel is an artist of the Renaissance era. Among his most famous paintings is "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus." It is still in display in Musee des Beaux Arts. He has, in his painting, depicted the mythological story of Icarus, who tried to fly away and got too close to the sun and fall to his death. His painting is one that has influenced many artists, whether of art or other disciplines. W.H Auden's and William Carlos Williams' poems "Musee des Beaux Arts" and "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus," respectively describe the beauty of the painting and bring new interpretations of the artwork using the authors' views of the event taking place in the painting.

Quite differently from many of poems I have read in he past, "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus," is an interdisciplinary poem. It takes a painting by Pieter Brueghel and discusses the painting itself. So to be able to fully understand the poem we have to be able to understand the painting itself first. The painting illustrates the mythological story of Icarus trying to escape and fly towards the freedom and ultimately fail. This poem not only explains the painting but it also adds to the ancient myth. Who might have thought of the laboring farmer and sailor who noticed Icarus fall? The poem as a whole depicts the “unsignificant” fall of Icarus from the views to the common people.

According to the Greek myth, Icarus, the son of Dedalus, tried to fly to freedom to escape from the labyrinth he was trapped in. His wings were unfortunately made from wax so as he flew towards the sun, the wings melted and thus Icarus fell to the sea, drowning as he did. William Carlos Williams has taken this myth further, he has developed the imagery and the comprehensiveness of the myth. He not only talks of Icarus’ fall but refers to the farmer, the sea and the sun and how detached and indifferent people are about Icarus’ passing. Related with the context of the poem, the author also has a sense of detachment to the whole issue. This adds to the whole atmosphere of the poem and the sense it provides to the reader. The disinterested tone of the author helps us understand what the he is trying to point out to us by writing this poem.

The physical structure of the poem itself adds to the tone since it has stanzas that are separated from each other. The poem basically is structured that way for the author to be able to group certain events that took place in the painting as Icarus fell through the sky. The words that are used are quite simple vocabulary, and are chosen haphazardly. The author’s usage of “unsignificantly” instead of insignificantly adds voice and also reveals some information about the author’s disposition on the whole issue of Icarus’ fall. The short sentences used by the author also add to the feeling of the poem, since especially in the last stanza the author describes the whole death scene of Icarus in one short and simple sentence. The poem makes us feel as if the author almost has no interest or sympathy for Icarus. But is that true?

The tone of the poem suggests that the author is quite distant to the whole issue of Icarus falling to his death. But when we think about the poem on a deeper level and about why the author decided to write it, we may derive some other views of the author. Why would he bother writing about some painting that does not interest him? I believe he writes this poem because he judges the painting. He mocks the painting as a whole and truly believes that Icarus’ fall was a big issue and that the painting has some major flaws to it. This, I believe, may be the reason that the author decided to write such a poem and that it is not simply because he was trying to describe the painting to us in an disinterested manner.

"Musee Des Beaux Arts" is a poem written by W.H. Auden, and is one that takes an emotional approach to the imagery of the painting, Landscape with the Fall of Icarus. The emotional approach is caused by the main idea of the poem consisting of the human’s suffering and how it shall continue no matter how much we try to stop it. It talks about how we try to exclude it from our lives and why we tend to do that. In the second stanza, the poet goes into a little more detail by  giving one specific example of the suffering that is ignored by the people. This example is the example of the fall of Icarus and how people ignore such an important person as he falls to his death. The name of the poem comes from the museum that displays the painting itself.

The tone of the poem is different from Williams’ poem in that it has a more emotional and one that has something to say about the people that have let Icarus fall through the sky. The main point of the poem being about the nature of the humans rather than the painting itself. The first stanza clearly points out that the people tend to ignore the suffering of others and tent to think as if nothing is going on. This point makes up the whole poem and is the main point that differs from  Williams’ poem.

The punctuation in the poem are placed in unusual places in my opinion and therefore they certainly add to the tone of the poem.The form of the poem also adds to the tone since it  divides the poem into two parts, one that talks about humans’ indifference to suffering as a whole and a part that exemplifies this topic. The sentence structure is also different and therefore it gives a more poetic and meaningful tone to the poem.

The tone reveals the writer’s purpose in that it tells us about what he thinks of people’s indifference to suffering. The author being emotional towards people’s sufferings shows that he believes we should be more caring and more willing to help. This tells us about the author’s ideas. This reveals that maybe the author wrote the poem in order inform people of their menace.

The two poems are great contrasts of each other since they both use the same painting to judge totally different two issues. One of these issues, Williams believes, is that Icarus’ fall was no big deal and so nobody saw it as it happened. And on the other hand, Auden says that people should not be so indifferent to the suffering of the others, the poet suggest implicitly that we should be able to see that suffering is a part of our daily lives and that we will sooner or later have to face it.

Again, both poems use that same image to get their ideas to the other side but one of them is solely built on it, whereas the other one is just using the painting as an example illustrate people indifference to others’ suffering in the world and make some references to the innate nature of humans since the dawn of time.

Both of the poems try to explain to themselves as to why nobody in the painting cares about the fall of Icarus. One chooses to talk about the innate nature of the humans and the other tries to talk about the fact that nobody cares because nobody sees this Icarus falling into the sea. The reasons are numerous, Auden believes that this is always so and that people will continue to neglect suffering of other since they do not want to recognize suffering as a part of life. Williams on the other hand has a more intricate reason so that we can only guess to what he means: he might describing the painting or mocking it. Which ever one we choose, these two poems add greater meaning to the painting than it ever had.