"All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace" by Richard Brautigan

In the poem, “All Watched Over By Machines of Loving Grace”, Richard  Brautigan allows his readers to interpret his views of technology. In each of the stanzas Brautigan has a phrase inside quotations. These phrases can be viewed as sarcasm and thoughts of his he had while writing this poem. “ I like to think (and the sooner the better!)” lines 1-2, he opens the poem with a tone of annoyance. The reason he put these phrases in parenthesis is to show the reader that these are almost under his breath and simply thoughts instead of words actually being spoken. In lines 9-10, “I like to think (right now, please!)” I believe Brautigan is referring to society’s need to technology to be quick, efficient and always improving. He is using these parenthetical phrases to mock society’s need for a modern and convenient lifestyle through technology.  

Without interpreting the phrases in parenthesis  as sarcasm and mockery, the diction in the rest of the poem creates a message of pro-technology to the readers. Lines 3-5, “of a cybernetic meadow where mammals and computers live together” and “pines and electronics where deer stroll peacefully pas computers”, lines 12-14 have a calm and content tone.  It is as if these scenes were normal and accepted.  By pairing together things of nature and technology it makes the scenes seem natural instead of strange. Technology will free society from work will connect us back to nature while, “all watched over by machines of loving grace” lines 24-25. The technology will take care of us and nature will mess peacefully with the new modern improvements.

I believe the poem is anti-technology, the diction and parenthetical phrases jump out at the reader in order to show them that this is what Brautigan is really thinking and that he not agreeing with the poem. Nature, something that is uncontrollable and technology, which is completely controllable are paired together in hopes that readers with see the path society is on, will led to nature being mechanical. This poem was written in a time that untouched nature was beautiful and loved and society didn’t want technology to overtake their daily lives. In conclusion I believe that through Brautigan’s diction and imagery the anti-technology reading is more convincing.

Casabianca

I chose the poem called “Casabianca” written by Felicia Dorothea Hemans, because of the intense sense of imagery it contained.  This poem is about a moment in time where a brave young boy stands on board a ship about to engulfed in flames.  Hemans has vivid imagery of flames rolling along the ship and catching the flag on fire lighting up the sky.  He will not move until his father tells him to without the knowledge of the fact his father is already dead.  Heman’s lonely and heart wrenching image of the boy standing tall and brave but surrounded by death in the waters below touches the readers on an emotional level.  The young boy shows bravery and courage as he waits for his father’s reply about his task.  The young boy continued to call out to his father asking if his task had been completed, “Speak father, must I stay?".  His only answers were booming shots and flames cracking and bringing the ship under water.  The rolling flames symbolize the burning devotion and love the boy has for his father.  The fire brings death to many but life to boy’s undying love and his father’s authority.  He is not going to leave the ship unless his father tells him to do so. Even when the boys knows what is to become of his fate he stands tall and brave and waits. He is still strong enough not to leave his place on the ship even with the certainty of death.  The last explosion of the ship surrounds the boy with light and increases the boy presence and courage in the last few moments of his life.  The last lines of the poem summed the poem together flawlessly, “the noblest thing that perished there was that young, faithful heart.”  The boy’s death was heard louder than all the other deaths put together, enhancing the boy’s courage and loyalty to his father.  The ship had done its part and stood strong as long as it could with stand the heat of the battle but nothing compares to the nobility of the young boy this battle could not beat.

Fly Away Home

I choose to name my blog “Fly away Home” because it represents one of the ways I want to live my life.  All my life I have lived in the same house in a small country town.  The friends I made in kindergarten are still my closest friends today.  Besides growing up in the country, I also grew up in the ring. The ring being the show ring, I have shown animals from guinea pigs to livestock since I was four.  Showing animals has made a huge impact on my life and the direction of my future.  I learned skills such as responsibility, public speaking, interviewing, record keeping, and simply knowledge of the animals I have and partaking in their respective industries. I have won several awards from my career in showing.  I am extremely proud of myself and the person I have become; committed, hardworking, driven, and competitive.  I have been raising show cattle for 10 years now and have started my own business, it is a lot of hard work, but I love every single second of it!  What can I say, I love cows!

After completing my schooling, I want to move to the Mid-West and continue my business there because that is where this industry starts.  I have lived in same town my whole life and I want to live somewhere else, try something different.  Yes, I have been fortunate to have already seen more of this world than your average person has, but I have not lived anywhere else.  I love traveling and I cannot wait to be able to see the rest of the world but I will never forget where I came from and how I was raised.  I will carry those values and skills with me as I fly away home