How good is Thomas Kinsella's Poetry?

Answer 1

I really admire this poem for its powerful images.

Another September
by Thomas Kinsella

Dreams fled away, this country bedroom, raw
With the touch of dawn, wrapped in a minor peace,
Hears through an open window the garden draw
Long pitch black breaths , lay bear its apple trees,
Ripe pear trees, brambles, windfall-sweethened soil,
Exhale rough sweetness against the starry slates.
Nearer the river sleeps St.Johns, all toil
Locked fast inside a dream with iron gates.
Domestic autumn, like an animal
Long used to handling by those countrymen,
Rubs her kind hide against the bedroom wall
Sensing a fragrant child come back again
- Not this half tolerated consciousness
That plants its grammar in her unyielding weather
But that unspeaking daughter, growing less
familiar where we fell asleep together.
Wakeful moth-wings blunder near a chair
Toss their light shell at the glass and go
To inhabit the living starlight,Stranded hair
Stirs on the still linen. It is as though
The black breathing that billows her sleep, her name,
Drugged under judgement, waned and - bearing daggers
And balances - down the lampless darkness they came,
Moving like women: Justice, Truth, such figures.

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I like this critical evaluation.

The research paper written on Thomas Kinsella was both accurate and informative. It was well written and definitely explained to its readers the significance and importance of Thomas Kinsella. In addition, it described in some detail the three important and note worthy phases of Kinsella's poetry. Overall, the writer prepared a good synopsis on the life and significance of Thomas Kinsella.

First and foremost, I liked how the writer began the paper. This person did not begin by just stating Kinsella's name and giving a long, boring introduction on Kinsella; but rather, this writer gave an introduction which explained how poets go through changes because of their cultures and surrounding environments, especially Irish ones. From here, the writer directly tied these sort of changes into Thomas Kinsella's works and writing styles by stating that Kinsella had experienced changes which influenced his writing style. Finally, in this opening paragraph, the writer stated the thesis for his or her research paper, the three phases of Kinsella's poetry. This is good because it lets the audience know exactly what the writer is going to focus on in his or her paper. However, it would have been better if the writer told the audience exactly what the three phases of Kinsella's poetry were. This way, readers can visualize Kinsella's mindset and maybe gain a better understanding for his writing style and poetry. This would have made the paper more effective. However, the opening paragraph was still a good introduction to the rest of the paper.

I also liked the way in which the writer followed up his or her first papragraph. In the second paragraph, this person gave a brief, but descriptive background on Thomas Kinsella. This writer did not bore his or her audience with a lengthy book report on Thomas Kinsella, but instead described the environment that Kinsella grew up in and stated that this is what influenced his writing. Furthermore, the writer mentioned the love and respect that Kinsella had for his family and neighborhood which also helps the reader understand the reasons behind Kinsella's poetry. However, this person's transition into the actual body of the paper could have been better and more smoother. The writer goes right from the background information into how Kinsella began writing poetry. Instead, he or she should have ended the background information and then stated how Kinsella got started in writing poetry. The part where the writer states that Kinsella's interests were more in writing literature than in his civil service job would be better in the next paragraph, after the opening sentence about the start of his writing being a fluke. However, the writer's transitions into the other paragraphs are better and flow better.

The writer of this paper gives a good description of the beginning subjects and basis for Kinsella's poetry through quotes and then states how these subjects such as childhood and life experiences are tied into the three phases of his poetry. This is an excellent transition into the three phases of Kinsella's poetry, the basis for the body of the paper. This writer does a good job in distinguishing between the three phases of Kinsella's poetry. He or she gives each phase its own paragraph which is necessary to show and set off the significance of each one. As a result of this, each reader can clearly understand the basis and objectivity of each phase. However, the writer of this paper was choppy and sometimes unclear in his or her explanations of the three phases.

This person could have done a better job in describing the three phases and how they are important to Thomas Kinsella's poetry. Yes, this writer did mention specific works and poems of each phase, but did not elaborate on them enough. The writer gave brief descriptions on the poems he or she mentioned, but could have made the paper better and more convincing if he or she went into more detail on some of Kinsella's more significant poems. In addition, this writer is confusing in his or her writing. For the most part, I was able to understand what this person was stating, but I had to make an effort to do this. The paper would be better if this person wrote in a more clear and concise manner, making it easier for his or her audience to get the overall picture and importance of each phase. Furthermore, I had trouble understanding the end of the paper when the writer talked about so-called "Section." I had no idea what this person was talking about and thus, the writer needed to explain where these so-called "Sections" came from.

Overall, the writer did a good job in researching Thomas Kinsella and picking out the important aspects of his poetry. This writer used descriptive quotes to support his or her information and used a good format for the paper. However, this writer did not mention much at all about Kinsella's importance in translating the Tain. He or she should have stated more about this accomplishment. In addition, the conclusion of the paper could have tied things up better and could been more convincing. However, the writer of this paper did a good job in stating the significance of Thomas Kinsella and started off the paper with an excellent introduction. I would just suggest that he or she writes in a smoother and more concise manner to make it easier for an audience to read and understand the paper as a whole.