Success is counted sweetest

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Success is counted sweetest
By those who ne'er succeed
To comprehend a nectar
Requires sorest need.

Not one of all the purple Host
Who took the Flag today
Can tell the definition
So clear of victory

As he defeated - dying -
On whose forbidden ear
The distant strains of triumph
Burst agonized and clear!

Thanks for providing this poem, http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/174990!!

Emily Dickinson may have written this poem during the Civil War. She uses a soldier who has won a victory as a metaphor to the bittersweet success of a sufferer. The soldier in her poem may or may not live to see what his battalions victory is. However, he had to persevere in order to obtain the victory. 

So in essence, we are all sufferers in some sort or another. If we didn't have struggles before we accomplished a goal, it wouldn't be as cherished. The soldier probably sheds joyful tears at the news of this great feat, although agonized.

This is a true statement. We wouldn't treasure our accomplishments as much if we had them easily handed to us. The meaning being "work hard" says this very thing, except Dickinson explains if in further detail what is rendered from hard work and determination. 

America is the epitome of what hard work will do in a short period of time. An American value is you can become whatever you put your mind to. From less than 200 years, America went from a fractured, newly-created, assemblage of a multifaceted culture and influences into the most powerful country on the planet! If the Founding Fathers hadn't went through the Revolutionary War, the freedom wouldn't have been so powerful, nor would it have been so appreciated. 

Myself was formed- a Carpenter

Myself was formed -- a Carpenter --

An unpretending time

My Plane -- and I, together wrought

Before a Builder came --

To measure our attainments --

Had we the Art of Boards

Sufficiently developed -- He'd hire us

At Halves --

My Tools took Human -- Faces --

The Bench, where we had toiled --

Against the Man -- persuaded --

We -- Temples build -- I said --

Thanks, American Poems, for this source poem!

At first, this poem seems incomplete and whacky. The unpretending time was childhood or the time in her spiritual growth in which she didn't understand. "My Plane and I" refers to her physical self and her spiritual self being together in one body, even before a Builder (Jesus) came to see if they (she) was mature enough to handle the works of being a Christian.

Dickinson is referring to 1 Corinthians 6:19 that says "Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own." Meaning Christians, once baptized, belong to Christ, including our bodies. Paul was telling the Christians to flee from sin and fornication, since it rightfully belongs to Christ. In essence, Dickinson is having a discussion with the Lord in which she's telling Him she is helping to further the kingdom of Christ. She may even be describing Judgement Day.

I love this poem. It's a beautiful way to say that you're working for God and Jesus. Again, this an indirect way, but incredibly creative expression of devotion. Way to go, Emily! :)

Walt's Captain was a Good Man

Oh Captain! My Captain!

by Walt Whitman

O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done, 

The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won, 

The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting, 

While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring; 

                         But O heart! heart! heart! 

                            O the bleeding drops of red, 

                               Where on the deck my Captain lies, 

                                  Fallen cold and dead. 

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells; 

Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills, 

For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding, 

For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning; 

                         Here Captain! dear father! 

                            This arm beneath your head! 

                               It is some dream that on the deck, 

                                 You’ve fallen cold and dead. 

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still, 

My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will, 

The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done, 

From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won; 

                         Exult O shores, and ring O bells! 

                            But I with mournful tread, 

                               Walk the deck my Captain lies, 

                                  Fallen cold and dead.

Thanks poetryfoundation.org for this poem!

Walt Whitman wrote this poem at the assassination of Abraham Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theatre. Whitman correlates Lincoln as a Captain and America as a ship. Lincoln led the Union army in defeating the Confederates during the Civil War, thus ending slavery everywhere on U.S. soil; hence, "...the prize we sought is won." Whitman is describing the shock and grief Americans felt when Lincoln's murder occurred. 

 In the 8th grade, we went to Washington, D.C. and saw Ford's Theatre, which is kept the same way as when Lincoln was shot on April 14, 1865. The beautiful velvet curtains still hang the same way and the balcony is furnished with American flags. It was quite breathtaking to see such an historic location. I usually don't like Whitman's style, but this one is an exception for me.

Jupiter Hammon Was Outta This world!

"If there was no Bible, it would be no matter whether you could read or not. Reading other books would do you no good."By Jupiter Hammon-courtesy of Famous Poems and Poets.com.

Jupiter Hammon was a very well-regarded slave belonging to the Lloyd family of Long Island, NY. He was educated and a Christian. Many of his quotes revolve around being a faithful servant/slave. I don't want to dwell on slavery with Hammon. That's another subject in and of itself. We need to look past that mindset and examine his wisdom. His quotes are very insightful and are food for thought. If we take away the master/slave connotation, we can replace it with an employer/employee connotation. Thus, we can appreciate his intelligence at face value.

How simple, yet profound is this quote above. Reading, to Hammon, had no use unless it was to read the Bible. Really, all life revolves around is just that: Christianity. The Bible teaches faithfulness, trustworthiness, and doing everything to the best of your abilities. I believe this is what Hammon was referring to in regards to most of his quotes. Simple people don't beat around the bush. Hammon is referring to the Bible as being 'good', and is a play on words that the other books would be bad for you.

There are so many good poets that have been forgotten in the passage of time, that we need to open some of these books and learn from their acumen.

Famouspoemsandpoets.com says in Jupiter Hammon's biography: "he... personally had no wish to be free, [but] he did wish others, especially 'the young Negroes, were free.'" Perhaps he was of the order that he lead by example. If he lived today and had a job, he'd be an excellent and successful manager. In other words, he'd be an asset wherever he went.

Letter Not Meant For Purpose

Reread The Scarlet Letter. In high school, I hated this book, because the symbolism was rampant. Re-reading this book as a well-read adult, made me appreciate the work. Considering Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote this in the early 1800s is quite remarkable. I have found, though, that literature is less censured than public discussion of unaccepted practices. Adultery and unwed mothers being two ostracized subjects.

 The plot for the Scarlet Letter is a woman has a baby by someone other than her husband in 17th century Puritan America. Nobody knows who the father is. The only thing we do know is her husband has been absent for two years, which makes this adultery. And she is punished as an example to prevent others from straying down the dark and sordid road.

I hate that Hester is mistreated like she is. Hester made one mistake in her life, which just so happens to be quite public. She's otherwise kind, religious, strong, and independent. Throughout the book she redefines the definition of being a Christian, a woman's domestic roles, and personal independence.

I hate symbolism, although Hester, Arthur, Roger, the scarlet letter, and the townspeople represent symbols. I thought it was a brilliant love story, full of tragedy and sorrow. It's too bad Hester and Arthur didn't marry or run away together. I prefer that. Gothic tragedy was a popular mode of literature in early American life. They were quite enamored of death, tragedy, and symbolism.

Pearl is, of course, Hester's inner personality in physical form. Arthur is the love she never had, which is why his being a minister is so important. He's also the religion. Hester is the moral drive and the sinner. They have to intertwine or it doesn't work.

Roger is evil incarnate. The townspeople is soul of the society, which is influenced by Evil, Moral, God, Free Spirit, Controlled Will.

To digress, I liked the Scarlet Letter, after many years despising it.

Tom is a Good Uncle

Uncle Tom's Cabin

By Harriet Beecher Stowe

Uncle Tom's Cabin was an abolitionist work, created to give a voice to American slaves. Although this story is written by a white woman, she brought the realisms and atrocities into the public awareness. The beginning of the 1800s was a time of trial and error on many fronts, and that included the economic dynamics of the North and the South. Slavery had not been eradicated, when Stowe wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin. The human suffering highlighted in this important work caused Americans to become active in abolishing slavery.

I thought this story was incredible. The Underground Railroad was an important Abolishionist tool to combat slavery, since it was illegal to help escaping slaves. Stowe uses this knowledge to her benefit in causing Eliza to rescue her son. It was the only way she could save little Henry.

I'm not sure where the idea that Uncle Tom's Cabin stereotypes blacks. It does not. There's only so much room in a book to write personalities. I think more of these accusations stems from Stowe being white; and, also, the hard feelings that are still lingering in present-day America. The idea of slavery still brings about indignant, smoldering feelings, even though slavery hasn't been practiced in 150 years. It's a blight, and nobody is questioning that. Uncle Tom's Cabin reminds us of what we need to never go back to as a society.

Stowe illustrates the different conditions that blacks underwent. Topsy is a child, who obviously has mental issues, including social anxiety. The abuse she sustained as a slave has caused her mental issues. Uncle Tom is a good Christian man who suffers for being black and for being a Christian. It was a two-pronged persecution. This didn't make sense to me. Wasn't conversion what slaveholders wanted? He couldn't win for losing. Darned if you do, darned if you don't.

Here Stowe's use of sarcasm showcases the hypocrisy of the white society claiming Christ, but condoning that the unchristian practice of slavery.

Mrs. Bird is an awesome woman. I would have liked to meet her. The divide between her and Mr. Bird politically is only superficial. Although Mr. Bird is a kind-hearted, benevolent man, his political mindset sometimes gets in the way of his reasoning. Mrs. Bird kindly reminds him of that.

All in all, Uncle Tom's Cabin is a very great American classic novel. It touches on a subject that most don't want to remember. Well, it was a historical practice, so it is relevant in studying the past. This should be required reading in schools, despite the emotional anxiety it causes.

Freedom to Express

On Being Brought From Africa to America

By Phillis Wheatley

____________________________________
"Twas mercy brought me from my Pagan land, 
Taught my benighted soul to understand 
That there's a God, that there's a Saviour too: 
Once I redemption neither sought nor knew. 
Some view our sable race with scornful eye,  
"Their colour is a diabolic die."  
Remember, Christians, Negros, black as Cain,  
May be refin'd and join th'angelic train.  

Thanks to vcu.edu for access to this poem!

On Being Brought From Africa to America is Phillis Wheatley's feelings about her new life as a slave in New England. The title of this particular poem is very simple, but sometimes that's the best way to grab your attention. I know when I write something- anything- I try to come up with some pun or clever title. It's considered artistic. However, Wheatley's direct approach is interesting, too.

First of all, African slaves were expected to convert to Christianity from pagan religions, yet they were considered as evil and from the devil. I don't understand that, because God created black people, too. England used to be a majority pagan nation, too, before King James had the Bible translated into English between 1603 to 1611.

She's right that black people will enter heaven, too, according to Revelations 21:24.  Black people will go to heaven, as well. We all need to be refined by God, so she's not alone. We all need it.

Wheatley may not have written this passage for the public to view, but to express her feelings on being mistreated, like a diary entry. I don't know why people think Cain was black. We don't know what colors Adam and Eve were, because this doesn't matter. Or shouldn't matter. I believe (now this is an educated opinion here) the reason why God made the different races is to see if we could get along. I've never liked people twisting the Scriptures into justifying bad behavior or poor choices. Wheatley is expressing a good thing that did come out of being a slave. She was introduced to Christianity. It's always important to make the most of a terrible situation, even if it's such a degradation as slavery.