My topic is imperialism. Imperialism is when a country begins to expand to other places, and with politicians, takes it over. It happened in almost all European countries at this time. Some people looked at is as a way to share wealth, power, and everything else that a single country may of had. Others just took it as a form of abduction. For more information, click this button.
1
No breeze to move curtains at long windows
or scatter ponies into madcap cantering
because . . . because it’s half-dark, night is
coming on, perhaps storm. Nothing can stop it,
the way with ponies in spite of what townsfolk say.
As a reason it will do, if not for
the Bishop who is a great hiker, has just walked
home calling in on his way to tell no good news
from further down the island. He listens to the Bishop.
Then at the table where he does not permit
disturbing his papers, he plans a wind to rise.
It will scamper papers helterskelter,
It will fan any spark in the fern into fire
crackling like musketry. This wind will run
drumming down the island, like hoofbeats.
2
He thinks himself, a man of Roman virtues
others will proclaim. Shifts papers, planning.
He does not plan a palace, only a mansion
house in a quiet offshore bay remote from government
or scandal; he’s had all he wants of governing.
Well, that’s what he says. It is doubtfully true.
He does not care for the governed, he does not
leave scandal behind in his pettifogging capital.
3
How did the Romans manage at their imperial frontiers?
You can’t get frontiers further from Rome than these.
Yet any moon which rises is the same moon as rose
over their provinces. Provinces! countries of mind.
He has had, he will have, a way with provinces.
4
General Cameron’s regulars have not yet crossed
the Mangatawhiri line. Militia and Forest Rangers
are eager to have a go.
Brigadier Carey intrigues
with city businessmen and politicians.
Down South they are going to call this (There is some truth)
The Auckland Attorneys’ War (but not all truth, to that).
5
He plans to stock his mansion house woods with
exotics: plants, birds, animals. Surviving birds are laughing
jack***es. Among the animals wallabies, which drum.
He will come ashore from his island if he is needed.
He will destroy provinces if not their outlook.
He will in a way be reconciled to his wife,
he will be deaf. He will not remember.http://www.smithymanonline.auckland.ac.nz/document?wid=904&page=1&action=null
ANALYSIS: Well, this poem is about imperialism, which is the topic I went with, and it can be pretty much proven in itself when it says “Brigadier Carey intrigues with city businessmen and politicians.”, because with imperialism, people had businessmen and politions, as well as soldiers go to take over an area to use them. It seems as if the writer is talking about how he felt about this specific thing, and what he was going to do while it happened, as said in the last stanza. He was going to run and hide, with supplies, on a mansion, on an island. Not quite the best thing to do, in my opinion.
Erin: I really like how you stayed connected with the poem and didn't get off-topic.
ReplyDeleteKimiE: I liked how you chose imperialism because not many people chose that topic.
Shaun: I liked that you chose a very broad topic, because the war was fought over imperialism.