Poem Dissecting

In the Desert (Carolina Reader pg. 344)
In a desert there is nothing. Everything is barren. All one can do is look into himself and analyze himself. You are alone in the desert.
The creature, is not human? Maybe it is so self warped that it is unrecognizable as a human.
Squatting is a pedestrian action. This makes the "creature" seem somewhat human.
Holding your heart in your hands causes a person to seem vulnerable. He is open for everyone to look at and see. There is no hiding. This also means emotions may be worn on the sleeve, which would be also unable to hide.
Eating his heart can mean that you're taking yourself in. You're aknowledging all that you are and are accepting of self.
The narrator shows concern. Maybe he is not selfaware or self accepting because he questions the creatures actions.
It is bitter means that he is bitter. He is saying that he is not perfect, that he has faults.
But I like it - But I accept it.
Because it is bitter - Because I have faults. Because I am not perfect. Because I am different.
And because it is my heart - and because it is who I am.



A Man Said to the Universe (Caroline Reader pg. 345)
The man is crying out to the entire universe. What he is saying he wants everyone and everything to hear. Maybe out of desperation? Maybe hoping that SOMEONE, anyone will answer him.
"Sir" implies that the man has respect for everyone else in the world. It may imply that he is a nice person. Stating his presence may be him asking anyone else to acknowledge his presence.
The "universe," which could stand for a generalization of civilization, replies in a formal diction. People as a whole realize that this man exists. It seems that they are asking why should they care, they are not responsible for him.
This reflects on the cruelty of the world as a whole.
I believe that Stephen Crane was attempting to tell people to stand up for themselves and take care of themselves because no one else will take care of them. It is a cruel world, and no one else will stand up for you if you don't stand up for yourself.


The Passionate Shephard (Carolina Reader pg. 424-425)
Let me love you, and love me back.
We'll show that nothing can stand in the way of our love. - seems like he's trying to persuade her.
Physical monuments may be a reference to a possible issue with them being together. Possible family fued? Maybe the poem was written in an earlier time period where social class was an issue. Maybe he is really a shephard and she is of a higher social class, in which case their love would not be accepted by many.

Watching shephards do their jobs - He's trying to seem above the shephards to prove he is worthy of her love.
Shallow rivers brings about a sense of calm and peace. A possible break from the chaotic world they live in. Even the birds would accept their love and sing them love songs.

He will do anything to prove his love for her. He will lay down flowers everywhere; roses, which symbolize romance, and posies, which have a beautiful scent.
He will even make a cap of flowers, which would be an intricate and time consuming task. He'll even give her a nightgown laced with beautiful leaves and flowers.

The wool nightgown is a reference to his job as a shephard. He shears sheep. By using the wool he has taken off the sheep himself may be another attempt to prove his love.
Wants to give her so many materialistic things all at once, as if his love alone isn't enough for her.

If these pleasures makes you happy, as if he is unsure if she loves him back. Maybe the couple exists in a time where the woman does not have any say in who she marries and he is trying to convince her and her family that he is worthy of her. He worries that he may not be good enough.
By asking her over and over to be with him and be his love, it appears that he's trying to convice her.

He is trying to show that their love is meant to be by saying that the young shephards would be so happy that they would remind the world every morning by singing about the love.
If he has proven his love sufficiently, would she love him back?



Strategies
Practice 6-D pg. 134
The name Black Elvis seems quite the metaphor. First off, having Elvis in the character's name is ironic because the character is somewhat reserved and offbeat, unlike the infamous Elvis who seemed extremely extroverted. Although Black most likely refers to the character's skin color, black has the same connotation in his name as in the title "a black sheep." He does not fit into society and is not immediately accepted as he is. This could be a reference to the historical Elvis as well. Elvis was not accepted by much of society because he broke the rules and did not listen to certain authority. However, he was eventually accepted by society and is now looking at as an icon in music and in history. This metaphor hints at the plot of the story. Black Elvis felt out of place for much of the story. It was not until meeting and talking to the Chinese Elvis that he began to feel content with the situation.

Practice 6-E pg. 135
Grandmother refers to the mother of my mother or my father. She is a mother who is grand. There is a certain regalty about her that is immediately recognized by others. She carries herself in a respectable way, and it would be hard to find someone who does not appreciate her kindness and inner beauty. She is a woman who takes care of others and loves doing so. She puts other people before herself. She is never selfish. She is happy and unconditionally loving.
I'm sure most of my classmates would have a similar definition as myself, unless an unfortunate situation occurred where one would not have met his/her grandparents.