Poems relating to the theme of Catcher In The Rye?

Question

Does anyone know of a few poems that might closely resemble the themes of Catcher In the Rye? I need to do a research paper on the themes of catcher in the rye compared with the themes of a poem of my choice that have similar theme(s), but I'm having a hard time finding one. Any help/advise would be wonderful!

Answer 1

Here's one:

"A Terrific Writer
by Harris Macklin
(on hearing Holden Caulfield, an old roommate, is in a sanitarium in California)

i never told him
he was a
terrific writer.

some things
you can’t just
go up to somebody and say.

he would tell me
i made him half-crazy,
but i knew he was all crazy all by himself.

one moment,
he was up on Everest
talking about kettle drums and checker boards.

the next moment,
he was disappearing and sinking
into madness and melancholy.

he was a duck
swimming in carrousel-like circles
in his own lagoon.

Sometimes when I would hang my clothes,
he would hang his thoughts up
in his book of unlined paper.

he would write for a long time
and didn’t want to be bothered with my words.
so i would whistle.

he never seemed to mind.
in fact, when i stopped whistling, he would stop writing.
perhaps, i should have never stopped."

And then, there's this:

"#4 The theme http://nths.newtrier.k12.il.us/academics/english/catcher/catcher.html
Under related poems, read "Nothing Gold Can Stay." How does this poem relate to Holden Caulfield's journey in Catcher in the Rye?

"Nothing Gold Can Stay
Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

-- Robert Frost"

Also, try the second link, please. Some great stuff there.

Answer 2

Catcher In The Rye Poem

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Poems relating to the theme of Catcher In The Rye?
Does anyone know of a few poems that might closely resemble the themes of Catcher In the Rye? I need to do a research paper on the themes of catcher in the rye compared with the themes of a poem of my choice that have similar theme(s), but I'm having a hard time finding one. Any help/advise...

Answer 4

well the obvious one is Robert Burns'
Coming through the Rye

the title of the book is based on Holden's image of being the person who catches children from falling off the cliff at the end of a rye field, which is based on Holden's mistaken belief that the lyrics of the song are "if a body catch a body coming through the rye".

Coming Through The Rye
by Robert Burns

Coming thro' the rye, poor body,
Coming thro' the rye,
She draiglet a' her petticoatie
Coming thro' the rye.

O, Jenny's a' wat, poor body;
Jenny's seldom dry;
She draiglet a' her petticoatie
Coming thro' the rye.

Gin a body meet a body
Coming thro' the rye,
Gin a body kiss a body -
Need a body cry?

Gin a body meet a body
Coming thro' the glen,
Gin a body kiss a body -
Need the warld ken?

Answer 5

i always associate holden caulfield's outlook with the poem "the road less traveled" by robert frost. you might want to check into that and see for yourself why.

Answer 6

Baseball hat/mitt.