Poetry Workshop

A Prodigal- Elizabeth Bishop

The brown enormous odor he lived by
was too close, with its breathing and thick hair,
for him to judge. The floor was rotten; the sty
was plastered halfway up with glass-smooth dung.
Light-lashed, self-righteous, above moving snouts,
the pigs' eyes followed him, a cheerful stare--
even to the sow that always ate her young--
till, sickening, he leaned to scratch her head.
But sometimes mornings after drinking bouts
(he hid the pints behind the two-by-fours),
the sunrise glazed the barnyard mud with red
the burning puddles seemed to reassure.
And then he thought he almost might endure
his exile yet another year or more.

But evenings the first star came to warn.
The farmer whom he worked for came at dark
to shut the cows and horses in the barn
beneath their overhanging clouds of hay,
with pitchforks, faint forked lightnings, catching light,
safe and companionable as in the Ark.
The pigs stuck out their little feet and snored.
The lantern--like the sun, going away--
laid on the mud a pacing aureole.
Carrying a bucket along a slimy board,
he felt the bats' uncertain staggering flight,
his shuddering insights, beyond his control,
touching him. But it took him a long time
finally to make up his mind to go home. 

Initial Gut Reaction:

To me, hearing the poem I got the image of someone running away from home. I could go as far as saying that they dropped out of society and chose to live the “simple life,” natural and raw. In time, this person realizes this “easy” life is not all it’s cracked up to be and eventually decides to go back home.

First Reading:

Important words and phrases

• ·        Too close
• ·         Self-righteous
• ·         Pig’s eyes followed him
• ·         Sow that always ate her young
• ·         Mornings after drinking bouts
• ·         Sunrise glazed
• ·         Burning puddles
• ·         Reassure
• ·         Endure
• ·         Exile
• ·         “Sunrise glazed the barnyard mud with red the burning puddles seemed to reassure. And then he thought he almost might endure his exile yet another year or more.”

Collaborative Reading:

“Sunrise glazed the barnyard mud with red the burning puddles seemed to reassure. And then he thought he almost might endure his exile yet another year or more.”

To me this meant that the life of living on a farm or as a farmer had its flaws, yet when the beauty of nature displays itself, this man reconsiders his thoughts, thinking the place is not as bad as he makes it out to be and that he may even enjoy staying another year.

Group Discussions:

After listening to everyone’s thoughts and perspectives on the poem, I continue to stand by my belief that the man has left his home, but not necessarily dropped out of society or run away. Everyone in class agreed that the man was on a farm and didn’t enjoy staying there; however they opened my eyes to the idea that he may even despise staying on the farm. I also got to thinking on what was keeping him there, and if he was unable to leave, that he may ultimately become insane. Despite the glimmer of hope the poem entails (sunrise glazed, puddles reassured), he still ends up leaving before it is too late. We believe that he is suffering by remaining there.

Question:

What is plaguing him?  

I believe that being away from his home or family is taking an emotional toll on him. This man is alone and other than the little comfort he may get from the animals, he is without company. This farm is not welcoming, and he doesn’t feel safe, which is why he is drinking his sorrows away. He must leave before it is too late.

Partner’s view:

(Same question)

This man has escaped his life and moved to work on a farm. He finds comfort and familiarity in the animals he takes care of. He is plagued by the thought of having to go back to reality and leave this new place he finds home. He doesn’t want to leave, but it is beyond his control, (shuddering insights) life is coming to collect his decision, and unfortunately he has to go back home.

Concluding Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this activity. Of all the times that I have had to work with poetry I have never been this successful. I took pleasure in being able to dissect the poem little by little and let myself become enveloped by my thoughts. This method really got my creative juices flowing, and helped me to look at the poem from numerous views, especially when hearing everyone’s ideas and their reasons behind them. I hope to do this again in class and I definitely look forward to working this way in the future with my students.