Poetry Anthology Book

http://www.pimpampum.net/bookr/index.php?id=9810

I chose:
- a 21st Century poem called "Some of My Happiest Moments in Life Occur in AOL Instant Messenger"
- one extract from Beowulf
- and another one from The Wife of Bath's Tale.

The reason I chose the first one is because I consider it a sad and moving yet lovely poem. I like it because I think it portrays very well how deeply the Internet has influenced and changed some people's lives - specially young people's - and also, how relationships have changed throughout history.
Though it might seem hard to understand, the use of the Internet has completely changed the way we communicate, and this is even reflected in poetry.
The picture is a snapshot of a Windows Live Messenger screen in which someone's screen name has been moved to the category "People I like Who Don't Like Me Back".

The picture attached to the extract from Beowulf is one of my parents. That part of the poem talks about King Hygelac, Queen Hygd and their castle. Since I tend to read poems from a subjective point of view and I enjoy trying to find similiraties between what the poem is about and nowadays' society or - as in this case - my personal life, I immediately related it to my house and my parents. Mainly, I found Hygd particularly similar in character to my mum, her role in my house and how generous and giving she is.

The last extract, the one from The Wife of Bath's Tale, I chose it because I agree on what the old lady says as regards poverty. I included a picture of a little aborigin girl from a refugees' camp drawing in the ground. It's amazing to see how despite the awful conditions under which they live, some people never lose their hope and happiness and live their lives in a simpler way. And as the extract says: "truly poor are they who whine and fret and covet what they cannot hope to get."

I was so excited about this activity that I had make "thicker" book for myself and included an extra extract from The Wife of Bath's Prologue, but the pictures won't show so I won't include the link in this post. Maybe if I re-make it I'll upload the link in another post.