#songassociation

[ghafafollower]

Joshua "baby" Bassett on Song Association on Elle!

I'm in love with this guy,someone help me

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[kzeeel]

Sounds of Silence, Strength, and Hope: A Reflective Analysis on the Anthology, "Lockdown Litanies: Countless Untold Stories" an Essay by Kurt Axzel C. Arcellano

2020 was hoped to be a wonderful and joyous year. All of it was demolished when a virus started to spread named Corona Virus or also known as Covid19. The accustomed living of all the people in the world was shaken and was put to waste because of the pandemic. I, myself, experienced hardships in terms of way of living, education, and the time I was locked down. Same as mine, these stories contain struggles of other people amidst the pandemic. 

Upon reading the first poem, “Dear Diary,” , I noticed that the persona went through specific circumstances that affected the persona big time by being locked down and was unable to do things that he/she used to love. I realized that a lot of circumstances will be encountered by us in our lives that will lead us to make mistakes. It may change us whether it is good or bad, but it will never make us give up in this life of ours. It is witnessed with the following lines from the poem, “I wronged people and myself, but I regretted none I own up my mistakes in finally choosing freedom”.This helps me remember the song “Supermarket Flowers” by Ed Sheeran where he stated that even how much he is experiencing a hard time, still, he know that it will still be acceptable and he would be able to move on as displayed in the lyrics “Oh I’m in pieces, it’s tearing me up, but I know a heart that’s broke is a heart that’s been loved.” 

On to the next poem, entitled “The Tale of a Modern Sisyphus”. Its first part is some sort of a question and answer portion that is about women empowerment while the second part is meaningful thoughts and thoughtful questions about a thing called human being. Lines such as “Now “What can be done to empower women?”. I believe unity can regain our lost glory. Thank you, Steve.” and “A burden is less felt when carried together, Yielding a boulder collectively on our shoulder. Only to realize, are we not Sisyphus after all?” helped me see through the poem more and recall women's struggles. Gender equality is a hot topic around the world. Women feel oppressed because of the society they live in. It reminds me of the song lyric from Beyoncé’s “Run the World (Girls)” that says “Some of them men think they freak this. Like we do, but no they don't. Make your check, come at they neck. Disrespect us, no they won't”. This song's lyrics helped me realize that what we talk about is girls, not just girls. They can do what other genders do and even execute it finer. 

On to the next poem, entitled “O’ yayi”. I notice that the persona narrating the story experiences the feeling of love yet, is downhearted because of it, specifically because of the reason that her other half still remembers her past lover. I have realized that no matter how much we want a person to stay in our lives, we can not intervene with his/her decision. The line “If ever I run out of time here and reach the other side, whose arms would you run back again, mine or Dante’s?” made it evident. This reminds me of Meat Loaf’s “I would do anything for Love”. The lyrics “I would do anything for love. And there'll never be no turning back.” to be specific. Love can make us selfish. Yet, it is also the reason why we let go of the ones we love all for the sake of their happiness. 

The next poem is entitled “Two Red Laces on the Wonderwall”. The writer of the poem is in the phase of moving on because of all the things she does just to make her forget about her wonderwall for she has still not recovered from her loss. I realize that when we lose something in our lives, we find different ways to replace what we lost. This is evident in the lines “Had a dose of fun before I die And tried my luck with several men, but you felt like home, where I belong. Two red laces woven on a wall.”. This reminds me of the song, specifically the persona, of the song “Tears in Heaven” by Eric Clampton. The lyrics “Beyond the door there's peace, I'm sure and I know there'll be no more Tears in heaven.”. 

On to the next poem, entitled “Umbilical”. It shows that the person in the poem is narrating how his/her mother gave birth to the persona.  I realize that our parents are willing to risk everything, even their lives just to provide their children with a good life. It is evident in the lines “Her skein stretched the outskirts of the city. Cut her own thread, I breathe. Tearful, I write the pain she suffered just for me to see.” that the persona’s mother pushed through with all her strength just for her child to see the world. It reminds me of Enya’s “If I could be where you are” specially the lyrics “Winter lies before me now you're so far away. In the darkness of my dreaming, the light of you will stay.” 

The next poem is entitled “RE: Paper (I’m Red, IMRaD)*.” Upon reading this poem, I realized that the way of teaching in other countries is much more advanced than ours, which results in insufficient skills and knowledge when we go abroad or study in other states. We can see in the lines “We recognize the demands of the 21st Century, bigger from what we’ve accomplished. In preparing students for workforce, here and abroad, equip them skills beyond technical,  competencies, must be transversal.” that the education in our nation is behind the current era. This reminds me of the song “Education” by Pearl Jam especially the lyrics If I've been taught from the beginning, would my fears now by winning? I'm questioning my own equation. Is my own equation relevant somehow?” for the reason that the poem talks about being behind in terms of knowledge. 

Upon reading the next poem, 3 A.M. Awakening, I realized that whatever we do in our world, whether it is right or wrong, people will still have something to say about us just to destroy our confidence. The lines “Heaven spoke lies to me telling I’m sick with people’s eyes daggering every inch. People hold truth in fiery tongues and spit eternal billows for us found in splits.” made me come to that conclusion. This reminds me of Jill Scott’s “Hate on Me”, especially the lyrics “Hate on me hater. Now or later. 'Cause I'm gonna do me you'll be made baby.” 

On to the next poem, entitled “My Frail Lady”. Upon reading the poem, I noticed that the character being defined by the speaker is committing self-murder. I realized that not being able to speak up and choosing resentment will affect us huge time mentally. It is seen in the lines “Such frail, frail lady. Bookkeeps her internal screams. Soon she will be found—” and “I could’ve stayed longer, but whatever you asked for then I would have made.” that the character being specified is suffering because of another individual. The poem made me thought of the song “How To Save a Life”, specifically the lyrics “Lay down a list of what is wrong the things you've told him all along, and pray to God he hears you, and I pray to God he hears you.”

On to the next and last poem, entitled “Major Arcana”. After reading the poem, I noticed that the speaker is pointing out what the character being defined wants and needs to do. I realized that whenever we want something for ourselves, even if we are on the rough road, we just need to take a breather or a step back and continue fighting for it. The lines such as “What you want most right now is success to win and never give up this fight. I see you are mostly assertive, yet haven't quite got the luck you wanted. Expect a journey relating to family, work, or love as your card reads movement.” and “But what’s not going to work is your impulsive behavior. Take time to sober up and make a conscientious decision. The Hermit signals not to be arrogant nor reckless—any misdemeanor.” helped point out my conclusion. This reminds me of the song “It’s my Life'' by Bon Jovi, especially the lines “Tomorrow's getting harder, make no mistake. Luck ain't even lucky, got to make your own breaks”.

In life, surely, there are problems that we will encounter. We may fall, break, or even lose the motivation to fight back. Yet, we must see that every difficulty we encounter is a chance for us to grow even stronger. Even how huge the boulder or rough the road, we still need to keep on standing up and tall carrying hope on us. As Chriss Grosser says “Opportunities do not happen, you create them.”

[elyyssi]

Concealed Series of Desolation: A Scrutiny Behind the Anthology “Lockdown Litanies: Countless Untold Stories”

an Essay by Elaiza Joy Barber

Stories have always been part of our life. Through storytelling, it helps us to express and interpret everything we encounter, including science, personal relationships, feelings, memories, thoughts, and challenges. Every story has a different arc, which keeps readers interested. Some stories feature innovative plots and profound concepts, which improve the overall quality of the work. Every author has a distinct story to tell as well as some experiences to give. Just like the poems that we’re about to scrutinize, the authors shared their experiences as they expressed the feeling of desolation. Boundless stories that demonstrate fortitude in the face of difficulties. 

As I read the first poem, “Dear Diary” I came to understand that we are aware of our own changes. And that changes happened because of the experiences the author had gone through. Because of all the author had encountered, he or she changed. Nearly lost everything and was abandoned, but in the end, the author still had the freedom to choose where he or she is happier.  It was noticeable in the lines “It felt different, I, too, became different”, “But all was left in me, I ended up alone”, “I own up my mistakes in finally choosing freedom.” It does remind me of the song Don’t be Afraid by Anji Salvacion, where, although coming from a place of darkness that prohibited her from seeing the wonder of life, she had the ability to choose freedom particularly in the lines, “And no, I'll overcome this feeling, this incomplete feeling, I wanna seize life outside, be free with you in my life”. Despite feeling incomplete because of the things that have happened in his or her  life, yet the author still believes that he or she has the freedom to choose happiness. Instead of being free with someone, let's do it for ourselves and, as the poem suggests, move away and discover a world on our own. 

The second poem, “The tale of a Modern Sisyphus”. As I analyze the poem, I have learned that the persona is going through the same phase over and over again. It’s like she’s fighting for the same purpose but then always ends up trying again. Rolling a large boulder up a hill repeatedly, only to have it roll back down when it approaches the peak. It was evident in the line, “Gracious to push the boulder up the mountain, and start once again like nothing happened”. This reminds me of the song The Climb by Miley Cyrus. Manifested in the lyrics, “The struggles I'm facing, the chances I'm taking, sometimes might knock me down, but no, I'm not breaking.”  This song encourages working for your goals while ignoring obstacles. The song teaches us that success in life isn't just about what you accomplish; it's also vital to reflect on the path you took to get there and to recognize and value the lessons you picked up along the way.   

Moving on to the third poem, “O’ Yayi (A Prose Poem)”. As I read the poem, it was clear that the persona is longing for his partner’s love and attention. It’s about someone who gave everything a loving husband could ever give, evident in the line “ I picked her up. Married her. Eased her pain. She received all the comfort and luxury a woman could ever get from a loving husband.” But then unfortunately, he’s not receiving the same love he’s willing to give. I remember the song All of me by John Legend. In this specific line, “'Cause all of me, loves all of you, love your curves and all your edges, all your perfect imperfections” This line represents the willingness to love your partner even though there are flaws or even they have had problems in the past. Just like in the poem, despite everything Yayi had to endure, and even though he is aware that she has not fully let go of her past, he still accepted and loved her. 

On to the next poem, “Two Red Laces on the Wonderwall” My understanding about this poem is that the persona is being used. He or she is being used but still, willing to give his or her all. It was shown in the lines, “I fell in your words. You, vindictive. I did what you said and leaned forward, I opened my whole to bare my soul.” Sam Smith’s How do you Sleep is the song that reminded me the most, specifically in the lyrics “Love to you is just a game, Look what I have done now” It portrays the idea of being used or being played. 

The fifth poem, “Umbilical”. As I understand the poem, I think it’s about a mother’s suffering as she was giving birth to a child. The poem’s about a child's perception while in the mother's womb and how he or she experiences the anguish and suffering the mother is going through. It was shown in the lines “The pain she suffered just for me to see. Drained herself to save me from misery”. And so this reminds me of the song Iris, a song by Goo Goo Dolls. The line “And I'd give up forever to touch you, 'cause I know that you feel me somehow.” Despite what the mother is going through, she’s still willing to risk everything for her to see and save her baby. 

The next poem, “RE: Paper (I’m Red, IMRaD)” discusses our nation's educational system. This piece shows what quality of education we have compared to the other countries. According to the character, imparting adequate education to others is never a simple endeavor. The line “Ironically, in areas we expect for leadership, Communication, media, and socio-emotional management, We are not that high.” demonstrated it. Individuals expect from them, but they are unattainable because of how poorly the educational system is managed. I would relate to this Taylor’s Eyes Open with the lyrics “But now we've stepped into a cruel world, where everybody stands and keeps score, keep your eyes open” by this lyrics, it will represent the persona’s appeal to let us know what the current situation is. 

The seventh poem, “3 A.M. Awakening”. In this poem, it is shown that the persona is preparing him or herself to go even though he or she is having a hard time since, I think, he’s being judged for who he or she truly is. It is expressed by the lines, “Breathe as if it’s easy to do today, but I think much in a different way. Heaven spoke lies to me telling I’m sick, with people’s eyes daggering every inch.” This also reminds me of Goo Goo Dolls’ Iris, particularly in the lyrics, “And I don't want the world to see me, ‘cause I don't think that they'd understand”. It represents the persona’s feelings since he or she feels like everyone who’s judging him or her has no idea of who he or she truly is.

Upon reading the poem, “My Frail Lady” I have confirmed that we all really have our own battles to face. I realized that it is really a must to be kind to others because we do not know what they’re going through especially when they're left alone. We might see them happy now, but we’re not sure of what they truly feel. Just like this poem that  talks about a person who struggled alone. It was obvious in the line, “Such frail, frail lady, Bookkeeps her internal screams.” Since it was inspired by the life magazine’s “most beautiful suicide” it reminds me of the song. If depression gets the best of me by Zevia. The lines, “'Cause the one thing on my mind, Is for me to disappear” and “And lover, when I leave, I know that we don't speak, I'm sorry that I failed you” It reminds me of the story behind Evelyn Mchale. The note she wrote including her message to her fiance. 

And the last poem, “Major Arcana”, As I read the first stanza there are signs showing that the persona comes in for fortune telling. Evident in the line, “...beamed a smile; harbored all nerves; placed your palm over—...defy the secrets of the heavens and asked, what do you see? Tell— Me.” As I continue to read the poem, I have learned that it is also about hope. It’s about the persona who’s hoping for a better future, shown in the line, “What you want most right now is success—to win and never give up this fight.” The cards push them to still believe and hope for their future. This prompted me to the song Flashlight by Jessie J, with the lyrics “I'm stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight, you're getting me, getting me through the night” This represents that even though they will walk through the darkness because of the things that will happen to them, there is always a flashlight that will serve as hope to get out of that darkness. 

Reading all of these poems made me realize that there really are a lot of untold stories that reflect our society’s current situation. Through reading these, I feel like I’ve also gone through their difficulties. By this activity I had the chance to view current issues from different perspectives. I also discovered that, in spite of all the challenges, we will always have the option of choosing to be free and grateful. That there is hope despite everything we experience in life.

[cess-is-here]

Undisclosed Narratives: An Explication de Texte into the Miscellany, “Lockdown Litanies: Countless Untold Stories” An Essay by Princess Allyssa R. Mago

First, I'd like to share a popular online saying: "Those who tell stories run the world." Since many years, storytelling has been an integral part of our society. The fact that it draws heavily from the author's own experiences is what sets it apart. This way our eyes are being opened to countless stories that share one’s personal struggles, delight, thoughts, and etc. Stories derived from an author's mind and experience reveal a great deal about their persona. Stories have the power to mold a person's experiences.

Having taken the time to read the first poem, "Dear Diary," I have noticed that the persona is talking to themself about the adversities they have gone through, which caused them to change. The word "change" is subjective to many people because it is neither bad nor good, nor can it be both. Like with this line, "I know I won't be the same again, But here's for the countless untold stories, I'll ever write on." The persona had been through challenges, but they would still strive and continue. This prompted me to the song, “You're Somebody Else”, by Flora Cash, wherein the song is about feeling displaced internally. It is evident in the lyrics, "Well you look like yourself, But you're somebody else,"

Now, for the second poem, "The Tale of a Modern Sisyphus," Compared to the Sisyphus in Greek mythology, the modern Sisyphus referred to in this is about a woman who is going through the same struggle— pushing a boulder up a hill. As indicated in the lines, "Gracious to push the boulder up the mountain, And start once again like nothing happened.". The song that I can associate with this poem is Taylor Swift's "Change" In my understanding of this song, it represents the women in our society who have been fighting for their rights since day one and waiting for their time to come. Manifested in the lines "Because these things will change, Can you feel it now? These walls that they put up to hold us back will fall down, It's a revolution, the time will come."

This time, the third part of this miscellany is "O' Yayi (A Prose Poem)." The idea I got from reading this is that it's about loving someone who is not yet over their one great love. It hurts reading it because you can also feel the longing and pain the persona is feeling. As manifested in the line, "If ever I run out of time here and reach the other side, whose arms would you run back again, mine or Dante's?" It is clearly evident that the author is uncertain if she would choose him or would still pick her past lover. Now, the song “All I Ask” by Adele is what I can relate to in this poem. This song is about a relationship that is on the brink of extinction. And with the lyrics, "If this is my last night with you, Hold me like I'm more than just a friend, Give me a memory I can use.", it shows the uncertainty and fear of the persona and just wanting to feel the love of Yayi, even just for pretend.

For the fourth poem, entitled “Two Red Laces on the Wonderwall” For this one, I’m not confident in my understanding of the message. I have come up with the concept that it is about giving your all to someone you love, even though it would not be reciprocated. The lines where we can see that meaning were “I did what you said and leaned forward, I opened my whole to bare my soul.” Taylor Swift’s “August” is the song that reminded me most of this poem since this song is written about longing for someone who was never really yours. Embodied in the lyrics, “Wanting was enough, For me, it was enough, To live for the hope of it all.”

Now onto the fifth poem, “Umbilical,” I cannot fathom the pain the characters in the poem are feeling. I have come to the conclusion that this piece is about a child’s perspective in the womb of her mother and how he or she comes across the pain and torment that the mother is suffering from. This excerpt, “You have made your purpose, I guarantee. Hush, sleep tight. Everything will be alright.” is both reassuring and devastating. They’re trying to give comfort, but realizing the reason behind makes my heart break into pieces. The child was trying to relieve the mother of her pain by assuring her that she did great in giving her child the chance to see the world but in the end, the mother had to succumb to the dark. So, a song that I would recall after reading this piece is John Legend’s “All of Me.” The lyrics “Cards on the table, we're both showing hearts, Risking it all, though it's hard” manifests how the process had been risky for them both and how one of them had to go. 

We now have the sixth poem, "RE: Paper (I'm Red, IMRaD)*" This piece is very educational as it talks about the education system here in our country. I believe most of us are aware of how poor our quality of education is compared to other emerging countries. Some of the reasons for this are stated in the lines, "If we keep on insisting quality education for students, Why not allow teachers access quality to their extent?" In addition, these lines also struck me, "Help teachers help students. After all, we cannot give what we don't have." This dilemma is still being faced by our society today, and I think that the leaders of our country should be responsible for this. This being said, there is a song that comes to mind that I think captures the feelings of most individuals going through this kind of hardship. That song is Taylor Swift's "The Man," and it is shown in the lyrics, "I'm so sick of running as fast as I can, Wondering if I'd get there quicker,"

Moving along to the seventh part, titled “3 A.M. Awakening,” This poem felt really familiar to me as it describes the feeling of hurt and shame. As we can see in the line, “Heaven spoke lies to me telling I’m sick, With people’s eyes daggering every inch.” I guess we can say that the persona is being judged by the people around them just because they portray them as someone different when the truth is they’re just themselves. The song that I can associate with this piece is “I Can’t Handle Change” by R.O.A.R. The tune of this music kind of represents the mood of the poem for me. In addition to that, this line, “I know it’s not your fault, Still lately, I begin to shake,” from the song, delineates what the persona is feeling.

As I read the eighth poem, “My Frail Lady,” I couldn’t help but notice the subtext and background image in the poetry. Those two details allowed me to deduce the piece’s intended meaning. The subject matter of this poetry is suicide. But other than that, the justification for this particular action is clear. It seems possible that the woman is facing dilemmas that only she is aware of, as suggested by the lines “Such frail, frail lady, Bookkeeps her internal screams.” This reminded me of the song “This Is Home” by Cavetown. From what I can tell, this song is about a person who is dealing with some inner turmoil yet hopes to be healed eventually. The lines where we can see that message were, “Are you tired of me yet? I’m a little sick right now, but I swear, When I’m ready, I will fly us out of here.”

Here we are now at the ninth and last piece of this anthology, “Major Arcana.” Astoundingly, I have discovered a deeper significance in this poem than I had originally intended. The idea that I got upon reading this poem is that it is about tarot reading, and with every card lies messages specifically for the persona’s experiences and future. Some lines that have brought me to this conclusion are “Your fear of transition, keeps you paralyzed in non-action. Being unfazed can be a nail on the head in this period. Take a risk.” Evidently, the persona has a dreadful past which causes them to not look forward to their future. But the tarot cards push them to have hope and start once again. I can relate this piece to the song “Fix You” by Coldplay. This song is about giving hope to someone and letting them know that despite all the adversities, there is still hope. Manifested in the lines “Lights will guide you home And ignite your bones, And I will try to fix you.”

In conclusion, this collection of stories has made me more aware of the various challenges that members of our society, particularly women, face. I've discovered that these tales allow us to view the world from their point of view, which has led me to wonder how many more of these tales remain untold. If many stories like this are shared throughout the world, then I think it will also give them hope, just like it did to me. This anthology showed me that even through the worst times of our lives, there would still be a silver lining we can hold onto. 

[blogsbyaauie]

A Lovely Miseries: A Reflective Piece on the +Anthology “Lockdown Litanies: Countless Untold Stories” by Yanah Macalinao

Countless amazing tales, particularly those that are personal or contain a powerful message, have been left untold. It is in our culture to express our emotions through writing, whether it is sheer delight, madness, calmness, loneliness, or any of the many other emotions we experience non-stop. Every storyline is unique, which makes it more fascinating to readers. Some stories have clever storylines and meaningful themes, which elevates the quality of the story as a whole. Each writer has a unique tale to tell and some experiences to share.

I noticed how relatable the first poem, "Dear Diary," is after I had finished reading it. It illustrates the author's life experiences which we all encounter on a daily basis. According to my interpretation of the poem, the persona is now able to let go of all of the past traumas, and it is alright to go through changes in life. When the author writes, "Until then, I’ll forego myself. Move away and discover a world on my own," the persona is finally letting go of the burdensome emotions and stating a willingness to begin a new life and learn many things. Since the line in the poem is about moving on and beginning to have a new life and stands as a personal motivation to the author, it is possible that this line is related to Rachel Platten's Fight Song, which has the line "Starting right now I'll be strong, I'll play my fight song." The song is about encouragement to ourselves; it serves as a reminder or motivation to always fight for ourselves and never let ourselves down.

The second poem, "The Tale of a Modern Sisyphus," is a little more difficult for me to understand, but I am still able to do so. The poem, in my understanding, is about the character's never-ending struggles. It is a struggle that the person chose and keeps on pursuing until victory comes. It conveys a message to the audience that even in the face of failure, we are still capable of doing something that will stay with them forever. The sentence "To the human condition, we are not inherently alone. A burden is less felt when carried together" serves as a reminder that we are not alone in every challenge we face. This phrase in the poem makes me think of Bruno Mars' song "Count on Me," which contains the line "When we are called to help our friends in need." It refers to having someone who will support you through every challenge you face and be there for you anytime you need them.

According to my interpretation of the third poem, "O' Yayi (A Prose Poem)", the person has a lover and is married, yet despite this, the person's lover is still bound to the deceased first love of the person's wife. A few of us can relate to this poetry. It's as though we are on the verge of holding that special someone in our arms, but they still have this one person on their mind. The poem's last line makes it clear: "If ever I run out of time here and reach the other side, whose arms would you run back again, mine or Dante’s?". The statement implies a serious query that needs a response, and the person is still understanding even though the lover is longing for another person. It has a connection to Robinson's song "Watching You," which has the line "Many times we felt it. Came close for a minute. Wrong place, wrong time. You were almost mine." because the song itself conveys the idea of seeing someone you love with someone else while you just stand there and watch them, as well as the idea of almost having that person but at the wrong time for both of you.

“Two Red Laces on the Wonderwall”, which is the fourth poem, is about the persona loving someone and giving everything to them with a whole heart. The persona is willing to sacrifice all but is still betrayed and exploited. “All because of you, I bare my soul.” This line demonstrates how the persona truly sacrifices everything for the person they love, not even attempting to save anything for themselves. It reminds me of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” with the lyrics “The scars of your love remind me of us. They keep me thinking that we almost had it all” because it symbolizes betrayal, just like the persona's experience of being betrayed and being left with hopes and expectations that they find the one, only to discover a nightmare.

The fifth poem, "Umbilical," refers to a weakness that all children experience. According to how I read the poem, it discusses giving birth and affecting the patient's life. I am aware of how gloomy the poem is because it is tragic and a nightmare for all children. Reading the poem, I can sense the persona's grief and desperation to save the mother's life. The line "You have made your purpose, I guarantee. Hush, sleep tight. Everything will be alright. Lilom, Lilom, I beg. Spare her for me.” demonstrates how the person comforts the mother when something terrible is happening and hopes that the patient will be saved but still the patient begins to explore the other world. “It's not over yet, And even when you think you're finished, It's not over yet”, says the phrase from For King and Country's "It's Not Over Yet," which talks about comforting and not letting the person lose hope. Even though the song is delivered in a rock style, it still has a deep message. It says that even though we experience great suffering, we shouldn't give up because the fight is still ongoing and, like the poem's line, everything will be fine. Instead, we should just loosen up because we have done our part.

I've come to understand that the sixth poem, "RE: Paper (I'm Red, IMRaD)*," is about education, one of the primary issues confronting our nation. It addresses the person's complaint regarding the educational system. When one does not receive a proper education system themselves, it is never an easy task to provide proper education to others, according to the persona. The line “Ironically, in areas we expect for leadership, Communication, media, and socio-emotional management. We are not that high.” demonstrates what people are expecting from them, but it is impossible because the educational system is in poor shape and they are powerless to change it because it requires a lot of concentration and planning. The lyrics “You can't wake up, this is not a dream. You're part of a machine, you are not a human being” of Halsey’s “Gasoline” mirrors how people behave in society since everyone demands too much of them. It is awful that the persona has to deal with these kinds of circumstances since I am aware of the pressure that comes with having someone expect too much of you.

"3 A.M. Awakening" tells a story of despair and challenges from the author's environment. According to my interpretation, the poem is about a persona that society pushes against because of its personality and belongs to lgbtq+. Because of the author's depression and way of telling the story, the poem focuses more on suicide based on the last lines of it. “And so, breathe gently ten times and let go. Count seconds and feel the world down below." I can say the line really captures the difficult experiences of the persona, despite the fact that it is only a short sentence, as the persona really wants to give up because it is difficult to handle social criticism. It reminds me of the Billie Eilish song "Listen Before I Go," which is about saying goodbye and ending everything. You can see in the line "Take me to the rooftop. I wanna see the world when I stop breathing” that is somehow the same in the sentence that struck me the most by sharing the same wants which are being free and seeing a whole different world.

As I moved on to the second-to-last poem, "My Frail Lady", I discovered that it was about a woman who committed suicide by jumping off a building. Although I was unaware of the suicide's motivation, I did know that the woman in the poem merely desired freedom and serenity. In addition, as we have already discussed in the poem, the lady also lands on a car in the poem and I believe the author aimed to explain and describe how the lady fell. The poet describes the woman in the poem as longing for freedom, and "Freedom at long last. Upon her long, quiet pause." describes the melody from Jurrivh's "Suicide Note." The song's melancholy tone, also calming and evoking feelings of serenity—just as the poem's premise is somehow related to the reason for the lady’s longing for freedom and peace

Regarding the final poem, "Major Arcana," I understand that it is about the author delivering a reading to a persona who was experiencing misery and didn't want to move forward. It can be seen in the line “find your future uncertain. Six years of adjustments await— ...laid my tarot for you to feel.” that the poem is about a tarot reading for a person to predict how their future will play out. It serves as a support to the character to keep going and never give up. It is somehow connected to the song “What’s Happening?!?!” by The Byrds because it's about having a complicated and confusing experience. It mimics the poetry by being unsure and clueless about what is going on or what to do with themselves, much like in the lyrics “I don't know what you're doing here. I don't know what's going on here”

To summarize my insights in a single paragraph, I'll admit that I struggled to comprehend some of the poems, such as "The Tale of a Modern Sisyphus", "Two Red Laces on the Wonderwall", and "RE: Paper (I'm Red, IMRaD)" since they have complex meanings that are difficult to grasp. However, when it comes to the poetry directly, I am simultaneously astounded and amazed since I now understand the various problems that people encounter on a daily basis. Some of the poems appeal to me, especially those that talk of being done and tired of obstacles. I had a great time reading about everyone's life experiences since it made me understand that I'm not the only person in the world that faces these kinds of difficulties. 

[archieprincess]

I wish I learned how to #Fight cause then I would've fought for my dad's life when he died of cancer. #songassociation https://www.instagram.com/p/CFoVY7th9TV/?igshid=1wd7vdi68so76

[quincyjdior]

Check out Quincy playing a lil #SongAssociation w @elleusa Click the link in my bio for the rest 🎶 • • #QuincyBrown #Elle #ElleUSA https://www.instagram.com/p/CGNu7q5nAP0/?igshid=14j7q5jy7l5c0

[archiebaby16]

I want a #Party for my birthday next weekend. #songassociation https://www.instagram.com/p/CFnVvf6hRYE/?igshid=10b5mz1waiuwe