Discussion 2

Questions Poem 1
Forgetfulness – Billy Collins
This poem describes someone that is slowly fading, possibly from dementia. When he
speaks of an entire novel, that is completely knew and had never been read. It seems
that this is someone he cared about that no longer remembers their life.
It expresses sadness and even melancholy in a way to reference when things were
different. As he references different aspects of the subjects life each one stronger
than the other.
He uses a lot of similes when referencing life and memories, such as the moon
drifting from a poem they used to know.

Questions Poem 2
Seminole Wind – John Anderson
This poem is a song about how Native Americans were vast amongst the lands. They
spread from north to south and east to west. They were abundant and walked with all
the animals that were native to the lands.
In the song he sings about how men would search for wealth and discover silver and
gold which leaves the land empty. It destroyed the land and the chased the Native
Americans away until they all became just ghosts of the pasts and the lands were left
baron and destroyed. He speaks about walking in the swamp, standing on a stump
and hearing the ghosts.
In the chorus he sings about the Seminole Wind, and calls upon it like a long lost
friend, and to just blow. I believe he refers to that in a sad and comforting reference.
He wants to feel the wind to remind him of the days that have gone by.
The poetic language he uses is consonance and personification. I believe since it is a
song the consonance helps to catch the attention of the listener, like swamp and
stump. The personification brings the listener into the story, almost captivates you
when you hear him sing, “where the black water rolls and saw grass waves”