I need help with this poem "Getting Serious" by Alice Friman.

[greg_jones]

I am supposed to do an annotation assignment in this poem writing everything about this poem. But I do not seem to fully understand the poem. I tried reading it several times but still I can't get what the poem means line by line. I searched for summaries and analysis of this poem all over the internet but couldn't find anything on this poem.

Can someone please help me understand this poem ? I really need it. Explain how much you can. Here's the link for the poem if you need it. I can also post the poem here if you want. Just reply me.

Thanks...

[jeremy]

You can rephrase that by asking us to do your work.

I'm only fifteen so don't take my advice so seriously. But if the poem was assigned for you to annotate, then you should be expected to be within the level to understand it. I looked it up online and noticed that the words are not too difficult. But if you see a word you don't understand, simply understand it. Look it up in the dictionary.

I didn't look at the poem too closely but I skimmed through it once. I thought it was quite well written; it flows. I won't try explain my interpretation of it, but the ages mentioned should be a big enough clue as to what Friman wants to communicate. I believe the first stanza is about her losing her memories as she grows old. It is as if the next parts go back in time and she relives her experiences. Perhaps she wants to get them down on paper before forgetting them.

There are quite many allusions in this poem, so you should give them each a Google search. I see that there is a question posted on Yahoo Answers asking the same thing, it is dated two days ago. Surely you didn't post it there too. I refuse to believe that you couldn't get a thing out of it after reading it several times, maybe you were simply relying on websites to give you a answer.

[Jez]

I see that there is a question posted on Yahoo Answers asking the same thing, it is dated two days ago. Surely you didn't post it there too. I refuse to believe that you couldn't get a thing out of it after reading it several times, maybe you were simply relying on websites to give you a answer.

Yup, and on another literature forum.

If you're having trouble with the poem and assignment, why not try speaking with your teacher about it? Getting the right answer because people on the internet told you the right answer won't actually help you understand the work and your teacher won't know you're having difficulties. If you talk to your teacher, they can both help you with this assignment, and know how to tailor future assignments to the class's abilities. Teachers need that kind of feedback...unless you're in college, but I can't imagine that's the case.

[Winifred]

musi, why did you remove the link? Was it spam?

[Jez]

I think the post wouldn't show up if the link was there since the person only has one post. Not sure if we have that protection here, but a lot of forums don't allow links in posts until a member becomes more established (15 posts or so) to cut down on spammers.

[jeremy]

Not sure if we have that protection here, but a lot of forums don't allow links in posts until a member becomes more established (15 posts or so) to cut down on spammers.

That seems like a logical thing to do. It's funny how they forget to come back to view the answers other people have given.

[Jez]

Guess we didn't give satisfactory answers. :p

[Winifred]

Well, let's give greg another chance: greg_jones, if you're there, please do post the poem, as you offered!

[greg_jones]

Okay, I appreciate all of your answers. But yes, I really do have problem with understanding poems easily. Not interested in poetry but I have to take this class.


Well, let's give greg another chance: greg_jones, if you're there, please do post the poem, as you offered!

Here is the poem:

Getting Serious

Today I started looking for my soul.
Yesterday it was my keys. Last week,
my brain which I couldn't find, it being out
looking for me, now that I'm getting so old.

First I thought my soul would have gone
back to Greece where she grew so tall and straight,
she thought she was a column. Or back to camp,
being forever twelve and underdeveloped.
Perhaps, being careless, I left her during the 70s
in bed with God knows whom. Or could be
I buried her with my mother--my head not being right--
but that was my heart.

So I went to where I know
I saw her last. Radio City Music Hall.
I'm six, my feet barely brushing the floor,
and the Rockettes start shuffling out, long-
legged and perfect as paper-dolls kicking up
down in a wave. One body with seventy-two knees
chugging like pistons going back in a forever mirror,
same as in Coney Island's Fun House or on Mama's can
of Dutch Cleanser. And my heart flexed in me, a sail,
and I swear I saw it flying out of my chest
spiriting away my giddy soul, ears plugged and tied
to the mast: I can't hear you I can't hear you.

[Winifred]

I like this poem a lot, but understand that I don't pretend to have a complete explication at all! Just notes, stuff to bounce off you, see what you think:

I read it primarily as Friman's journey towards understanding herself as a woman, as well as her soul. You've got the title to guide you: "Getting Serious." She starts out flip - searching for her keys=searching for her soul=pun about losing her mind, too. First stanza is short.

Second stanza contains some of her search - the Greek caryatid image of the woman's figure holding up the house, literally, with an overlay of Psyche, the Greek goddess Soul; then, adolescent unsureness of body image, followed by sexual adventures "in the 70's," and the somberness of her mother's death.

Third stanza is almost a love/hate of femaleness, in my opinion. The 6 year old seems dazzled by the Rockettes, and dismayed at their robotic lockstep routine, surface, 2 dimensional, like paper dolls. She is tempted by the Siren-like call of the female (through history? both the "fun house" and the drudgery "Dutch cleanser" are evoked), but her heart spirits her soul away, "ears plugged and tied to the mast (again the erect figure, tied to the caryatid image?)" evoking Ulysses (although his ears were unplugged) hearing the Sirens. The twist is, when she was young, she "can't hear" the call...You could have fun with "sail," too - with Helene Cixous' Voiles (le voile means veil, la voile means sail, in French, and Cixous is proposing a feminine concept of literature in the book).

These are quick impressions, and I'm not sure about all of them, but I've got to go - hopefully enough to get you thinking...Came back to add a bit more. Again, just sketches.

[Jez]

You are such a psych major, Win. :p

[Procyon]

Contrary to appearance, she has not lost her soul and tried to find it. She has actually hidden it because she is afraid of it's effect on her. HINT: look at the last line. There is also a testament to her old age which is held in limbo with her memories of past years, which ironically accentuates her age. I fear my response to be somewhat ambiguous. I'll check back tomorrow to post some more of my thoughts on the poem.

While I strongly discourage you from using other's ideas, I do help that my brief, slightly convoluted insight helps.

[Winifred]

Ooh, nice point, Procyon! I agree.