Brady’s Blog

Link to poem https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45392/ulysses

The poem “Ulysses” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson was written in the 1700s and is romantic. As a romantic poem, it focuses a lot on the themes of introspection and trying to improve oneself. You can see this in this poem as Lord Tennyson tries to convey the main idea of finding purpose in your life and the continuous strive for greatness. Tennyson writes about the character Ulysses, based on the character Odysseus from Homer’s epic “The Odyssey.” This poem takes place after Ulysses has finished his ten-year journey and is currently living as the ruler of the island of Ithaca. The character feels like he cannot relate to the people he is ruling because they just hoard, sleep, and eat. Ulysses feels his life is meant for something more significant than the daily things that come and go. As the poem develops, Ulysses talks about his old age but how he still yearns to “sail beyond the sunset” and reclaim the greatness he once had. But before he talks about his great sail, he talks about how he will leave his son Telemachus to rule the island of Ithaca while he is gone. He talks about how he is a good fit for the role and will not fail. 

While this poem, at face value, seems like a story, Tennyson uses many techniques to help show how it is more than that. At the poem’s beginning, Tennyson uses many cacophonous words to describe his current life. He does this to show how Ulysses is frustrated with his current life and wants to change it and escape the things of his daily life that bog him down. Throughout the poem’s first section, Ulysses also talks about drinking, which symbolizes Ulysses’ drive to explore and live life to the fullest before he dies. A couple of lines later, Ulysses says, “to rust unbunish’d, not to shine in use! / As tho’ to breathe were life!” this use of a metaphor compares his life to a sword. Tennyson does this to show that Ulysses wants to live his life in the glory and not sit around rusting away. Throughout the first stanza, the continuous use of metaphors often relate living life to the act of war. This reveals a paradox in the idea that Ulysses only feels like living life to the fullest when he is closest to death. 

In the second stanza, Ulysses talks about his son Telemachus. In these sections, you can see Tennyson’s use of understatements in Ulysses’ description of his son. He says, “Most blameless is he” and “decent not to fail.” These understatements show the tension between Ulysses and his feelings for his son. This tension is purposeful because while Ulysses is away in Homer’s “The Oddessy,” Telemachus tries to marry his mother (Ulysses’ wife), and this causes tension in their relationship. Tennyson also uses this stanza to show the contrast between Ulysses and his son Telemachus. This contrast is created by how Ulysses describes his son and how he is perfectly fit to rule the people of Ithica. It shows how Ulysses thinks his son is not driven to push himself like Ulysses does. It contrasts them and emphasizes Ulysses’ dedication to his idea of living life to the fullest.

In the final stanza, Tennyson alludes to Dante’s inferno when he says, “‘T is not too late to seek a newer world.” and “It may be that the gulfs will wash us down.” These lines allude to Dante’s inferno as Ulysses dies in that epic by drowning in the ocean as a wave takes him out, resulting in him going to the underworld.

“I want to say,

my depression is an angry deity, a jealous god

a thirsty shadow that wrings my joy like a dishrag

and makes juice out of my smile

I want to say,

Getting out of bed had become a magic trick.

I am probably the worst magician I know.

I want to say,

This sadness is the only clean shirt I have left

and my washing machine has been broken for months

but I’d rather not ruin someone’s day with my tragic honesty

so instead I treat my face like a pumpkin.

I pretend that it’s Halloween.

I carve it into something acceptable.

I laugh and I say.

“I’m doing alright.””

This poem is about how often in life when someone asks “How are you” or  “How’s it going” you often will respond with something along the lines of “I’m good” or “I’m alright” even if something is going on beneath the surface. This response shows how humans often don’t want to ruin someone else’s day when you begin conversing with them. People will usually cover up their problems for the sake of not making someone else bear the burden for them. Francisco compares the person who hides their problems to a pumpkin. He does this to show how you put on this fake smile and it is like you almost have to carve out your face so it is acceptable. I can catch myself sometimes doing this when I begin conversations because I don’t want to ruin someone’s day because I am already having a bad day. The title is very representative and sets up the poem because when you read the title is it almost like it is a part of the poem and it is a question. The title is the main topic as it pertains to the question and the focus of the poem. Two lines that I think are important are when he says “The sadness is the only clean shirt I have left and my washing machine has been broken for months.” This line stands out to me because Francisco first compares his sadness to a clean shirt which is a juxtaposition within itself. After all, when you think of sadness you pertain it to something that is broken or messy but Francisco does the opposite. Secondly, Francisco then compares the sadness and the shirt with his washing machine which hasn’t been functional in months. Showing how this has been a persisting thing as he is down to his last clean clothes and that it is sadness. It shows how there is something deeper going on in his life and Francisco feels like the whole world is crashing down on him and everything is going wrong at once. This poem is very powerful in the sense it connects things that you would not typically expect to be connected. Francisco uses many metaphors throughout the whole poem to compare things that you would never expect to be connected. Another line where he uses a metaphor is when he compares himself to waking up to be a magician. His purpose behind doing this is that it shows how often it is a struggle to wake up and he feels like he has to trick himself into getting up. He reinforces this in the next line when he says “I am probably the worst magician I know” showing how he feels like every morning is a battle and it feels like he has to fight to wake up. The continued repetition of the phrase “I want to say” also shows how Francisco knows how he feels when someone asks this but he doesn’t want to ruin their day by trauma dumping them. Also, after every time that repeated phrase is said it is followed by some metaphor that is trying to show how he feels. This poem shows how to often people will cover up how they really feel about others and they often do this because they feel like if they do tell them they are making that other person feel bad. However, Francisco is trying to push back against this by showing how people need to tell others about their problems by writing about himself covering up his problems. This poem shows himself opening up to his audience by writing about his problems.

“The tongue has a jagged beauty

and I know how easily the mouth

can become a rose bush”

This is a short poem but packs a very powerful meaning about the danger of words. This poem contains the metaphor of relating the mouth to a rose bush. Using the metaphor of relating a mouth to a rose bush shows how words can have harmful meanings on people and can be used to hurt. Francisco also says the tongue has a jagged beauty, showing how the tongue can say good and bad things. This juxtaposition allows for the contrast of the words jagged and beauty which are opposites. The use of the title petal also has a very deep meaning because roses will lose their petals and beauty when die or during the winter. It is just like a person will lose their respect for someone who talks bad to them or disrespects them with the words they say. The title also sets up the poem with vivid imagery of a petal and allows for that imagery to be expanded on later in the text when Francisco brings up the rose bush. The use of enjambment in this poem allows for the continuation of the ideas being developed in the text but also for them to be split. It allows them to be separated and pause to be there but also for it to flow. The use of a mix of cacophonic and euphonic words contrasted with each other shows Francisco trying to emphasize how the tongue can go from good to bad. He uses the word “jagged” and then “beauty” right next to each other to also show how a rose bush is pretty and can also prick and hurt just like someone can be so nice to you and then betray you the next second. When I read this poem it reminds me of how people need to be conscious about the things they say. There are many ways in today’s world to put people down and it can be done without even being face-to-face with someone. People often have a tongue with jagged beauty because they can be kind and nice to you and then be your worst enemy and talk bad behind your back the next second. I also think one of my other reactions to this poem is how deep of an impact such a small amount of words can have. This poem is composed of 15 words but has a much deeper meaning and can resonate with so many people. No matter who you are almost everyone has had someone who has said something rude that made them mad. It is a very simple poem that can connect with many people who can read this and don’t need to dig that deep to find the true meaning that people can be rude with what they say. Also, since it is so short it forces readers to find the meaning between the lines and not just take is for face value. Francisco’s background life could’ve easily affected the writing of this poem. There could’ve been someone close to Francisco who possibly betrayed or hurt him, causing him to reflect on how words can be used. The metaphor of the rose bush could show how something once pretty and beautiful was not so much after it revealed its thorns underneath. Francisco’s life could have influenced the depth and emotional connection he was trying to show people. Overall, this poem reminds everyone about the delicate balance between kindness and hate. It emphasizes how words carry great power, and how we use our words can either destroy or build people up. The rose bush shows this with its pretty petals and its sharp thorns, which remind us to choose our words carefully. 

Rudy Francisco is one of the most recognizable names in Spoken Word Poetry.  He was born, raised and still resides in San Diego, California. At the age of 21, Rudy completed his B.A in Psychology and decided to continue his education by pursuing a M.A in Organizational Studies. As an artist, Rudy Francisco is an amalgamation of social critique, introspection, honesty and humor. He uses personal narratives to discuss the politics of race, class, gender and religion while simultaneously pinpointing and reinforcing the interconnected nature of human existence. 

Rudy Francisco seeks to create work that promotes healthy dialogue, discourse and social change.  Furthermore, Rudy has made conscious efforts to cultivate young poets and expose the youth to the genre of Spoken Word Poetry via coaching, workshops and performances at preparatory schools and community centers. Rudy has also received admiration from institutions of higher education. He has conducted guest lectures and performances at countless colleges and universities across the nation. 

Rudy Francisco has shared stages with prominent artists such as Gladys Knight, Jordin Sparks, Musiq Soul Child, and Jill Scott. He is also the co-host of the largest poetry venue in San Diego, competes in domestic and international poetry slam competitions and had the honor of being nominated for an NAACP Image Award. Ultimately, Rudy’s goal is to continue to assist others in harnessing their creativity while cultivating his own. Rudy Francisco is the 2009 National Underground Poetry Slam Champion, 2010 Individual World Poetry Slam Champion and appeared on TV One’s “Verses and Flow”

–https://www.iamrudyfrancisco.com/bio