Li-Young Lee
When I lay my head in my mother's lap
I think how day hides the stars,
the way I lay hidden once, waiting
inside my mother's singing to herself. And I remember
how she carried me on her back
between home and the kindergarten,
once each morning and once each afternoon.
I don't know what my mother's thinking.
When my son lays his head in my lap, I wonder:
Do his father's kisses keep his father's worries
from becoming his? I think, Dear God, and remember
there are stars we haven't heard from yet:
They have so far to arrive. Amen,
I think, and I feel almost comforted.
I've no idea what my child is thinking.
Between two unknowns, I live my life.
Between my mother's hopes, older than I am
by coming before me, and my child's wishes, older than I am
by outliving me. And what's it like?
Is it a door, and good-bye on either side?
A window, and eternity on either side?
Yes, and a little singing between two great rests.
13 comments:
Meinert
The best part of the poem was that the mother and the son doesn't know what each other is thinking about. The son is thinking about what his mom is thinking about and trying to see if he may be right or not. The mother is thinking the same thing but it is her son's mind that she is thinking about and what he is thinking about. The way that people think is different because each person has their own idea or a solution to different things or even difficult obstacles if there are any that you have to overcome. The son might have a problem or gets into trouble and wants to know what his mom is really thinking about. I think the mom would be thinking the same thing as her son but she would be thinking of what her son might feel after he got into some trouble.
Hamner
“The Hammock”
What’s the best part of Li-Young Lee’s “The Hammock”? Answer with one hundred and fifty or more words.
What I had thought was the best part of Li-Young Lee’s “The Hammock” was how they said their thoughts and what they thought about during moments. I thought it was cool how they really wondered about their mom and how she was thinking. I also thought that when they talked about their mother's memories were older than them because they were created before them and how their child's memories will be older than them because they will outlive them. I also thought it was cool on how they said the things that don't exist now are in the stars. I also like how they said that they wonder if an action of caring could prevent worries or problems transferring from one person to the other. I also thought that when they asked multiple questions and then answered them with yes saying its both of them and everything in between by something simple.
The part that was most interesting to me was when she was explaining how she had no idea what her son was thinking. Because she is not wrong sometimes kids can be thinking the opposite of what you think they are thinking or some kids could be talking about one thing and a whole nother thing is going through their head. It bugs me how the mother is worried about her son and her husband or boyfriends worries because she doesn't want any issues for the kid and she is going to try so hard to fight that but sometimes you can’t prevent seeing your child go through stages no matter how hard you try. You can try your hardest but I think instead of trying to protect your child, you should enjoy the time you have with them because sometimes they grow up really quickly and in a blink of an eye your packing their stuff for them to go to college.
Riley Schroeder
The best part of it was the yes because it answers the question with out actually answering. It is a question on its own. Also another part is were they are both basically asking the same question about each other. They never really do answer each other because they never really asked each other. What made the author make this poem what was his inspiration for it. I think if you try to look to mutch into it you will find a lot, if you look for only what you want to see then you will see that, but if you look just enough you will find what the meaning of it really is so dont go to fair. They ask to many question in the thing that it gets repetitive at the end and i lost interest in some of it. So not much to really go off of with it.
Bruce
“The Hammock”
The best Part of Li-Young Lee’s poem is when he says that he is singing to herself and she carried me on her back. Between home and kindergarten once each morning and once each afternoon. Why this part is best is because when you didn’t even exist you exist in her stomach and she carries you through everything. Next, when you were born they had to take you to places because you were not able to drive and back home that is from after school and before school. We did not exist when your parents were alive but then we did and they had to carry you and take care of you through each and every day till you were born. And when I become an adult and if I decide to have kids, I hope that my kids live longer than I do because they do not exist yet hopefully in the near future. That part was the most important part to me because It realized me realize that we never existed till your parents had us and now till the day we die we carry each and every day to school and back.
I think the best part of Li’s young the hammock is when he tells the part “between the unknowns, I live my life” and everything after that. The reason why I like it is because it shows that he thinks beyond himself and thinks in the future of what things would feel like and look like he actually puts thought into it when a lot of other people don’t. I like the way about how he talks about him before birth and about his mom being one of the unknowns, and wondering what she is thinking because everyone thinks about that. Another reason why I like this part is because he talks about his son and his son is unknown before his time and when he is born that his is time and when he grows up he will wonder what his dad is thinking and later in life he will wonder what his kid is thinking then he will be between two unknowns just like his father was.
Webb, Parker
My favorite part about it is around the end the questions then just yes, an answer that will be used to answer any cosmic questions we may have but still don't know what's out there where do we go after death and what happens before our birth is there somewhere out there we can't see that holds onto us till we're born is there an afterlife a god, the devil a type of heaven or hell it's something that I liked leaving off with just the simple answer of yes. Quite weird and off thought to be just yes and a little singing between two great rests it's something I like to think about at the end of the day about our own existence the great debate between god and realism is what I call it to me and the memories that filled up we're great and warming for the end because it reminds me about my mom like something she would quote
Li-Young Lees's poem was very interesting in many ways. I liked how he was able to express how he thinks our children are basically made up many years before even coming into this world. Isn't it crazy to think that something you made will live longer than you? For me, that just blows my mind how I could possibly make a child. When he talks about passing on worries to your child, I think that as long as you can keep your child happy and away as much as possible from all the bad things, he will be less likely to worry about the stupid little things and be able to enjoy all the amazing things that have come his way. This kind of shows that what you do will cause and effect what your child might do. This showed me that even though we don't think of it, my child is already an idea in God's eyes and he is planning for great things for the future to come.
-Haas
Ariah Helseth
I like how the poem makes you think about what he is trying to figure out and I like how the poem is laid out. I like how the poem speaks to us and I like how the poem tells a message and a story. One of my favorite parts was the part where he says I wonder, Do his father’s kisses keep his father’s worries from becoming his. This part makes me think about exactly what he means by that and what he is trying to figure out about his father’s worries. I also like the part at the end of the poem where he says yes to every question that he asked himself and when he says and a little singing between two great rests. This last part of the poem makes me think about what he is trying to tell us and what it exactly means. I think the best parts what towards the beginning of the poem where he said Dear God, and remember there are stars we haven’t heard from yet. I think this is one of the best parts because I like how it is retailing us the stars and how he is saying that they have so far to arrive yet.
My favorite part of the poem is when he says, “And a little singing between two great rest.
I like this part because we are non-existent until are parents have me and we live our life to the fullest and then we pass and we go to another place and rest again. I like how says and a little singing in between because life is joyful and happy and when you sing it makes you happy and joyful. I like poems like this because it makes you think about the real meaning of it and when you have to think about the real meaning behind it, I think that it makes you think more in-depth about your life and what that really means to you. This poem talks about how we are not dead we are just resting and I like that because it is saying that your legacy will live on way longer than you will.
The best past of this poem for me was when he answers three questions with yes only. The way that this poem is structured sees and it is really cool. I have never read something like that l think this is awesome how can tell how our loved ones are in us. Our loved ones from the future and past ones are present in ourselves. I have seen the start before and I never saw them something like my ancestor or my future kids since I hear about this poem every time that I see the sky in the darkness and I am going to that my future kids are up there and my ancestor still live in myself and are going to live in my kids too and on and on through my who family. I hope my kids remember me like that they have something of me in themselves I think that would be awesome.
I think how they we talking that there is more than one side to the earth there is a good and a bad side and that you parents brought you into this world and they take care of you and do there best to give you what you need and help you grow in to little kids and have fun. Then they help you get through school and get you the best education that you need to do good in life. They also help you get a car so you can go out and have fun with your friends. They work hard so you can do things like that and then they want you to do the same for you kids so they can do the same thing you did as a kid and when you were growing up. You parents want what is the best for you so you can be like them and live a happy life and not be mad all the time
Anderson
The best part of Li-Young Lee's poem is, "And my child's wishes than I am outliving me." I found this part Interesting when he says that his wishes are older than his child's wishes. This means to me that part of him lives through his child. He is living a long life in his child after he is dead. It is really interesting how she said that even though the child wasn't born yet the child will live more than the mother. This is a really good part of this is how she uses words that are really good. He lives in the generations that came before him and that will be coming after him. It is really Interesting how it said life doesn't stop even after somebody dies or passes away but continues in their loves ones. This poem is very similar to The Lion King because Mufassa lived on in Simba even after he died and Simba will live on in Kiara--The same circle of life.
Post a Comment