A poem should embody contradictions; it should give form to what can't be described in prose. In the fast-paced, stressful world of contemporary America, poetry allows a person a moment in the day to be silent, to sit with thoughts and feelings that might otherwise simmer under the surface, without voice. Poetry must be a gift given to a reader, an offering, and a successful poem is one in which a reader can take and make her own. In Meditation In An Emergency, it is my aim to put words to dilemmas suffered by mothers. A mother places her child's wellbeing above all else, even, at times, her own body. Of course, to nurture their child one must find the time to nurture oneself, and this is a conundrum in today's economy. There is not enough literature to support mothers in their darker hours, and poetry can give voice to feelings of incompetence, guilt, frustration, and a love that sometimes feels impossible to utter. Poetry should operate as singing voices at a wake--a last resort to a grief we must bear witness to before moving on.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:pdx.edu/oai:pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu:open_access_etds-2319 |
| Date | 01 January 2010 |
| Creators | Noonan, Wendy Lynn |
| Publisher | PDXScholar |
| Source Sets | Portland State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Dissertations and Theses |
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