Arts & Humanities - 6 December 2007

Diction refers to a writer’s choice of words. In some ways, this choice is like the appropriate selection of clothing. For example, normally you would not turn up at a wedding dressed in dungarees, at least not an ordinary wedding.
John L. Foster, the translator of these Egyptian love poems, made the following statement about his choice of words: “The diction should be unpretentiously colloquial, simple except when elevated by the power of strong feeling or slipping over into the sometimes slangy verbal patterns of irony or humor. The language should be conversational, quiet, the usages of personal and private speech; for those are the kinds of words for lovers.”

Wow, what a statement to make!!!!



First poem:

The Voice of the Swallow, Flittering, Calls to Me:
“Land’s alight! Whither away?”
No, little bird, you cannot entice me,
I follow you to the fields no more.
Like you in the dawn mist I rose,
at sunrise discovered my lover abed (his voice is sweeter).
“Wake,” I said, “or I fly with the swallow.”
And my heart smiled back
when he, smiling, said:
“You shall not fly,
nor shall I, bright bird.
But hand in hand
We shall walk the Nileside pathways,
under cool of branches, hidden
(only the swallows watching)-
Wide-eyed girl,
I shall be with you all glad places.”
Can you match the notes of that song, little swallow?
I am first in his field of girls!
My heart, dear sister, sings in his hand-
love never harmed a winged creature.

Second poem:

Your love, dear man, is as lovely to me
As sweet soothing oil to the limbs of the restless,

As clean ritual robes to the flesh of Gods,
As fragrance of incense to one coming home
Hot from the smells of the street.
It is like nipple-berries ripe in the hand,
Like the tang of grainmeal mingled with beer,
Like wine to the palate when taken with white bread.

While unhurried days come and go,
Let us turn to each other in quiet affection,
Walk in peace to the edge of old age.
And I shall be with you each unhurried day,
A woman given her wish: to see
For a lifetime the face of her lord.

Third poem:

I think I’ll go home and lie very still,
feigning terminal illness.
Then the neighbors will all troop over to stare,
my love, perhaps, among them.
How she’ll smile while the specialists
snarl in their teeth!
she perfectly well knows what ails me.

Do you agree with Foster’s statement about the correct diction for the following poems below? Why or why not?? Please do not provide me with references to each poem. Just tell me if you agree with foster’s statement about the correct diction for the following poems. And why?

2007-12-06 05:13:49 · 2 answers · asked by Anonymous in Poetry

A la Eric Clapton's Tears in Heaven....

2007-12-06 05:11:50 · 13 answers · asked by P'quaint! 7 in Philosophy

I know France was forced to give up all of its gaining during the Congress of vienna and had little say in the peace process. My question is:

Lookin at the way France was treated, what impact did it have on subsequent european history?

Were they pissed, did they do anything to get revenge? I know Germany was not very happy after the treay of versailles and eventually led to WWII but.....How did the French react and what impact did their treatment have on the near future for europe?

Looking for a thoughful answer, Thanx!

2007-12-06 05:02:54 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in History

2007-12-06 05:01:41 · 21 answers · asked by Anonymous in Philosophy

2007-12-06 05:01:11 · 2 answers · asked by wightyellow 1 in Sculpture

by...

1) supplying water for the irrigation of western farms

2)lowering the cost of shipping goods from the Midwest to the Atlantic coast

3)providing a shipping route for cotton from the South to Europe

4)supplying waterpower for running factories and mills

and

During the first half of the 19th century, the construction of canals and roads led to the..?

1) expansion of trade between Midwestern farmers and eastern merchants

2)growth of plantation agriculture in Texas and New Mexico

3)severe economic decline of the South

4)bankruptcy of several railroad companies in the Mississippi Valley

2007-12-06 04:56:58 · 2 answers · asked by S H e L xo. 2 in History

2007-12-06 04:52:30 · 6 answers · asked by london_netgear 1 in Philosophy

I think it's flat out wrong and it disgusts me that anyone would think that they know what's right for everyone else just because they know what's right for themselves.

Oh no, does that make me self-righteous?

2007-12-06 04:48:59 · 12 answers · asked by Jennield 6 in Philosophy

Im looking for empires or governments that failed because they spread to too much land and their government and sources were spread too thin to be able to maintain control. I have used examples such as Alexander the Great and the greek society after him, and Ive used the Roman Republic, but what others happened after them?

2007-12-06 04:48:12 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in History

2007-12-06 04:40:10 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in History

No matter where I am or what I am doing it is very rare that I miss 12:34. I don't look at the clock very much. Why does this happen?

2007-12-06 04:38:35 · 15 answers · asked by Harry Lillis 2 in Philosophy

2007-12-06 04:28:09 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in History

2007-12-06 04:23:59 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Philosophy

I mean what year in history did 20th century begin?

2007-12-06 04:21:19 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in History

Want opinions on this subject

2007-12-06 04:16:37 · 12 answers · asked by Donald D 1 in Books & Authors

I have noticed over the past couple of weeks that there are more questions that amount to someone asking for feedback on a poem or song they have written. I am curious as to why this is going on.

I know I have posted questions in this category that do not seem related, but I typically have my reasons for doing so.

So, what is the reasoning behind the poetry feedback questions?

2007-12-06 04:12:36 · 11 answers · asked by Trina™ 6 in Philosophy

i know you can get it at michael's but i was wondering where else and hopefully walmart because i am an hour from any other craft store. thanks

2007-12-06 04:10:49 · 2 answers · asked by jbethv2000 2 in Sculpture

2007-12-06 04:10:06 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous in Poetry

2007-12-06 04:08:33 · 3 answers · asked by gabriel_87107 1 in History

born in argylleshire in 1813 duncan f cameron

2007-12-06 04:06:41 · 3 answers · asked by jan m 3 in Genealogy

There are no decription of what Rose and hugo look like in the epilodge

2007-12-06 04:03:02 · 7 answers · asked by thomasheaven 1 in Books & Authors

2007-12-06 03:48:52 · 2 answers · asked by Lauren M 1 in History

2007-12-06 03:48:31 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Philosophy

2007-12-06 03:48:00 · 11 answers · asked by wisdom 1 in History

2007-12-06 03:47:17 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in History

Did Robert Frost allow the two tramps in the poem Two Tramps In Mudtime to cut the wood?

2007-12-06 03:44:12 · 4 answers · asked by Sherry P 1 in Books & Authors

black slaves

2007-12-06 03:42:17 · 2 answers · asked by Anonymous in History

Any news about anything on metaphysics? Anything new?..,,New lessons, Controversies, Problems, Issues, Debates, Etc... Please I need to know and show me the source.. Talk about things that are all about metaphysics which are going around in the present...

2007-12-06 03:40:55 · 7 answers · asked by s_U1000 2 in Philosophy

I have to play Major Ross in the second rehearsal of Our Country's good.
Ross is the superior officer and holds the power, he is evil but does not need to shout to get across his power. HE says; they jump. However i need to perfect my stage presence and, in particular, my voice for the lines. I'm struggling with how to get the audience to hate my character and to really get across the slimy evil of Ross. At one point he humiliates the convicts by making them act like dogs ("Wag your tail, Bryant, Bark!") and tries to get a timid convict to reveal the tattoo on her thingh ("where's your tattoo, brenham? Why don't you show us? I can't see it. Show us.")
Any tips on presence and how to portray evil (without shouting and too much physical abuse)?

2007-12-06 03:39:16 · 12 answers · asked by Jennifer M 1 in Theater & Acting

2007-12-06 03:35:54 · 11 answers · asked by blessedboy 1 in Books & Authors