Yowzers

Robert Lowell has a pretty good grasp on fallen humanity. In his poem. "To Speak of Woe That Is in Marriage" he tells a brief story of a wife whose husband hires prostitutes and basically treats her like a piece of dirt. While reading this poem, I felt sad for the wife. I felt like I wanted to castrate the man. He doesn't deserve a wife. I wanted to free the woman, and the man (from needing prostitutes...)

It's quite a gruesome poem as it is. It is dangerous.

"cruising for prostitutes... along on the razors-edge"
"kill his wife...injustice... unjust..."
"gored.. stalls above me like an elephant"

This poem immediately made me think of the novel Jazz it was like it was written for the novel. It was the "soundtrack" of a loving wife whose husband cheated on her, killed (not her) but his lover and carried on in rage and confusion. Violet was left to keep herself alive. Keep her REAL self alive.

When I read this poem, I wanted to help her get out of that wretched "marriage" she was in. I wanted justice for her. The poem, "The Longing" by Nimah Nawwab wrote a beautiful poem about freedom. Her poem is a little more hopeful than Lowell's, but just like the voice in "To Speak of Woe," the speaker of Nawwab's poem's is practically voiceless.

"Freedom.
How her spirit
Haunts,
Hooks,
Entices us all!

Freedom,
Will the time come
For my ideas to roam
Across this vast land’s deserts,
Through the caverns of the Empty Quarter?


For my voice to be sent forth,
Crying out in the stillness of a quiet people,
A voice among the voiceless?

For my thoughts, that hurl around
In a never-ending spiral,
To settle
Mature, grow and flourish
In a barren wasteland of shackled minds?

Will my spirit be set free—
To soar above the undulating palm fronds?
Will my essence and heart be unfettered,
Forever
Freed,
Of man-made Thou Shall Nots?"

Now, Nawwab's poem tends to use more emotion words to express her desires while Lowell uses more of just descriptions of scenes. Both are screaming to be heard and saved. Both want freedom.

It's hard to say which one is more effected. Both are evoked strong emotions and both made me want to scream out for them. But why would my voice be heard any louder than theirs.

It wouldn't be.