Hash over your ideas with your fellow poetry aficionados

Here I invite you to discuss questions, ask questions, make comments and exchange ideas with your colleagues. For "Ulysses" especially I think you need to do this—it's a very dense poem that makes of the familiar figure of Ulysses a symbol…of what?

We'll discuss at the top of class and attempt to deepen and broaden your responses.

Questions for "Curiosity"

1. On the surface, this poem is a dissertation on cats. What deeper comments does the speaker make or imply? Of what are cats and dogs—in this poem at least—symbols?
2. In what different senses are the words death, die, and dying here used?
3. Compare and contrast this poem in meaning and manner with “Ulysses.”

On This Glorious Day...

Today is a day to remember. Today is a day all peoples should mark on their calenders. A day everyone should look forward to year-round. A day to count down to by making one of those paper chains where each link represents a day, and as you cut one link off every day, your excitement grows as the chain gets shorter and shorter. Would you like to know why? Do I really have to tell you why on this magnificent, wonderful, joyous day you should celebrate? Isn't it obvious? On this day, exactly 19 years ago, President Bush Sr. declared the end of the Gulf War, saying "Aggression is defeated. This war is over."

Indeed, the ending of any conflict is cause to celebrate. Let the revelries commence! I call upon all who read this to feast and be merry. As if that wasn't enough, Ghana celebrates their independence from Britain on this date! So three cheers for Ghana! Three cheers for the end of the Gulf War! That's six cheers (for those of you keeping score at home) for March 6th!