Poems by Lowell and H.D.

I believe the last presentation group posed a question to the class about H.D.'s use of punctuations. It appears to me that she uses dashes to emphasize her imagery. For example, "with loose earth--our feet cut into the crust as with spears (Sea Garden p.21). or "Instead of pearls--a wrought clasp-- a bracelet--will you accept this?" (Sea Garden p.12) It is almost as if she is using images to describe her images.

I also had to mention Lowells poem, Venus Transiens. I really enjoyed the image this drew for me in my mind. At first I thought it was just a wonderful thing to be compared to such things as Venus and Boticellis work. After reading the poem through a few more times, I liked the idea that the words of a poem can be compared to images of the greats. "And were the painted rosebuds-He tossed his lady-Of better worth-Than the words I blow about you-To cover your too great loveliness-As with a gauze-Of misted silver? I took this as the author saying that words, paint, etc can never do justice to the true beauty of the image they portray. That the best even the most famous can do is give their audience a shadow (with a gauze of silver mist) of an image.