"I do not think he's right" (handout). This is from "Elegy for My Father, Who is not Dead" by Andrew Hudgins. This poem is completely relatable to many in high school, especially seniors. I am, like many other seniors right now, looking and applying to colleges. My one and only requirement for the college I go to is that it is not in state or a bordering state. It's not that I don't love my family, because I do, more that anything else. But in my opinion, college is a time to find oneself and be on one's own for a bit. Which is exactly what I plan on doing. My parents are ok with this, but they still do really want me to stay some what close to home, or at least go to a state with other family in it. I fell like the man who wrote this poem knows that after his dad dies, he will finally be able to be on his own. To him, he wants this, but does not know how to tell his father this, who thinks he will come with him when he dies. The man needs to live his own life before he dies and meets up with his dad again.

"Do more bewitch me than when art/is too precise in every part" (979). This line is from "Delight in Disorder" by Robert Herrick. The pattern of this poem is a sonnet, but one that Shakespeare would write, not like a normal sonnet. The man in the poem is talking about how a woman looks. He describes everything about her in the first 12 lines. Then, in the last two he says that when there is a little bit of disarray to something, in this case a woman, it is much more beautiful that perfection. I think I agree with him. When things are too perfect, they're almost off-putting in a way. When there's a flaw, it becomes much more approachable and comparable to ourselves.

"'Alas, and woe is me, O" (978). This is from "Edward" by anonymous. Why are anonymous poem always more awesome? And in this case, really creepy. I think I like this poem because a) it actually tells a narrative in it and b) it has a what-the-heck-I-wasn't-expecting-that moment. Both, to me at least, always makes a poem more interesting. In the first part of the poem, Edward lies to his mom about who/what he killed, but she finds out he killed his dad. What is interesting to me about this is that the mom doesn't at all seem upset. In fact, she's encouraging him to run away and everything will be fine if he goes somewhere else. But the what-the-heck moment comes at the end when he pretty much tells his mom to go to hell. That's not very nice.

"Can someone make my simple wish come true?" (973). This line is from "Lonely Hearts" by Wendy Cope. This line is actually part of the pattern of the poem. This and another line alternate back and forth at the end of each stanza, then they are both said at the end of the last stanza. This is the same pattern of "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night." This poem I think talks about how everyone is looking for their someone. It reminds me of a dating website, but in poem form. What makes me laugh most about this poem is the irony. This person is literally looking for anyone, but in the last stanza says: "(with photo)" so they're saying that they want to be with someone, as long as they look nice. Which seems to me a lot like today's world.

"And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die" (972). This line is from "Death, be not proud" by John Donne. Is he completely bashing death in this poem? Because to me, it sounds like he is. Is he asking to die? I think what the poet is trying to say is that death isn't actually the bad guy. Not only is he not the bad guy, he's not as tough as everyone makes him out to be. Actually, the poet says, it's men who are death. Death has to follow man's bidding.