Comparative Commentary on two poems

Comparative Commentary on “Muliebrity” by Sujata Bhatt and “Carpet-weavers, Morocco” by Carol Rumens

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he poems “Muliebrity” and “Carpet-weavers, Morocco” strike me as very similar. As these poems place emphasis on talking about children and culture, they both concentrate on hard work and pride the children take in their work. Also, a major point is that the children build their own future and their own culture if they are not oppressed by other cultures or their own.

In “Muliebrity” by Sujata Bhatt – an Indian poet that wrote numerous poems about language, culture, society and her own memories in English, as she was educated there – writes about a girl she saw every day from the window in her home, that gathered cow-dung to use fuel n her own house. Bhatt was amazed by how much pride the girl could take in that task. Almost the same can be said about the poem “Carpet-weavers”. Here, the children are referred to in the plural, without expressing their individual being (“their”). They all work as carpet-weavers from a very small age and for very little money. They are used a as a metaphor – “melodious chime”, which indicates their varying age groups and heights. The theme of the poem is tangled deeply with the oppression undergone by some cultures and how this all affects the children of a country. Specifically two countries are described in these two poems – India (“Muliebrity”) and Morocco (“Carpet-weavers”)

It can be seen throughout the poem that Morocco has a specifically oppressive cultural structure. This can be seen mostly in the first and third stanzas of the “Carpet-weavers, Morocco”. The repetition of the word “they” and “their” shows that the children are not seen as individuals, but as simple machines. The word “oiled” also can be referred back to machines, though it is true that children in Morocco really oil their hair.

India can be shown as a “broken up” country, where the rich and the poor are divided severely. It has quite dirty and nasty rural areas, but out in town there are clean, rich houses. This is presented in the phrase – “monkey breath and freshly washed clothes”. The clothes symbolize the house and all its neatness, while the “monkey breath” refers to the dusty streets and the animals and beasts in the woods.

In these two poems, layout and form play a great role. In “Carpet-weavers” the orderly lines ended by a full stop symbolize the lines on a “loom” (instrument used for weaving, can also mean ‘threatening’). They are all three lines per stanza, which is also a connection to the children’s’ job. In the last stanza though, there is an enjambment, because it is their childhood slipping away from them.

In “Muliebrity”, many of the lines are unfinished and do not have punctuation to symbolize pauses. This gives the poem a ‘continuous’ feeling to it and we can almost feel that it is a memory. It is also represents us with the messy and disorganized lifestyle there.

In both poems, one of the main factors is the pride that the children take in their work and how “entertaining” and “important” they find it. In the “Carpet-weavers” there are phrases showing how engulfed they are in their work (“like television”, “flickering”) and also the major difference in class between “western” civilizations and the poorer ones. In “Muliebrity”, words like “greatness” and “power” are used to emphasize the mastery and strength of women.

A great role is played by the verb tenses in both poems. I the “Carpet-weavers” the only tenses used are the future and present one, symbolizing that these youths must strive forward and not look back at the awful days that are now behind them.

“Muliebrity” is written in the past tense, showing that these all are Bhatt’s memories of her childhood and her viewpoint of the past. It is a memory that is taken into the future without being altered and it “lives” with her in her heart. Also, in the last line of “Carpet-weavers” there is a very interesting phrase – “freeze in to the frame of all-that-was”. This is a reference to film, where you can freeze-frame – stop the film at a particular position. The same is shown here, when you as if want to stop and edit their childhood so they didn’t have to work and so on.

Between these poems there are many similarities, as well as differences – in style, theme, layout, etc. In my opinion the most standing-out difference is the style of writing. Bhatt writes it a commentary on something that already exists, with her own emotions shown in the choice of words. Rumens, on the other hand, wants to show this point in time as a bystander, with almost no hints on his own emotion on the topic. Though there are many a similarity, the theme and viewpoint of these writers stay the same, as they talk about how great these children are and how they cope with their life.

These are truly amazing poems, which touch the soul and heart with their outstanding explicit perspective on childhood and culture.

By Valentina  

PK

Parkour – Sport on the Rooftops of your City

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arkour, often shortened as PK, is a modern sport and entertainment for many people of the world. It literally makes the city your personal playground as you free-run, jump, bound and maneuver through the tangle of buildings and features. Running wild across the urban area, you can really feel the thrust and thrash of the city.

Parkour is not an easy sport that much I can easily say. You must have speed and stamina to hold up against the cities life-force. All PKs are mentally and physically fit to suit the sport and if you start the game – you cannot end it. This activity sticks right to the bone, making your every muscle itch for more of the exhilarating experience. It is a real booster.

PK is a dangerous pastime. It is actually legal, but if you trash something or break a window, it can cost you dearly. Also, as if you do not know, there is the risk of being hit by a car or falling of a building – it is not a peaceful hobby. There were once many protests to the legibility of the occupation. They found it dangerous, even fatal. But what is injury before the prospect of virtual freedom, free reign – it is nothing, absolutely nothing.

Not all people can afford this sport. It is inaccessible to people with heart disease or people over the age of about thirty-five. Here only the fittest and the wittiest survive, that is the order of things.

So, if young and fit, go and run wild over the streets of your new play area! In the city there is no rule, no governing force; no-one can get you up in the city. So run, jump and roll – this is your new world!

Coffee

Coffee – What is the real value behind the drink?

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tanding in line for a cup of coffee is not every ones cup of tea. So much is true. Then why do Starbucks and many other vendors prosper? Atmosphere – that is the answer. Have you ever got up late on a Sunday, jogged some hundred meters and turned into a coffee shop to have a cup of hot drink and watch life go by? It is a very adorable opportunity.

Coffee is not only a drink. It is a part of our culture and our life. Coffee is all about socializing, “getting out of the house” and watching. Coffee is a great aspect of our existence, as we sit back with a cappuccino and try to guess what is the person two tables to the right thinking about.

As you know, there are many vendors ready to sell you a cup of the dark, hot heavens for one or two dollars at most, but why does each one seem so different? Starbucks is a crowded spot, full of people and vigor and…well…life. Blenz is another story. Though the beverage and the layout are almost identical, they each have a different tone. Blenz is calm and slow. Blenz customers enjoy the quieter atmosphere where they can sit and think. The décor is the same, the beverage too, but it is all so different.

Actually, the beverage is not that important. At many vendors, the coffee is too sweet, in some too bitter. Why do people come? Mostly, because it is already such a part of our society, that we do not wish to say decline it. Coffee is far from the most important thing in the whole institution, it is the mood, the feel of it. Coffee is a nation, it is a requirement.

As we understand just how important it is, why don’t we delve into its origin?

Myth has it that coffee was first discovered in or around the 9th century in Ethiopia by a young boy. He noticed that his cattle liked to graze upon berries which seemed to have interesting side effects. Realizing that the berries must have some “magical” property he took some of the plant back to the village. The elders discovered the beverage after boiling the plant in water. This was the beginning of a wonderful produce. The Ethiopians traded with the Arabs and coffee spread eastwards. The Arabs jealously guarded the coffee plant. However the Dutch managed to transplant some to Indonesia in late 1600's – the beginning of the world-wide trade. In the 17th century coffee came to the crowds of Europe and the first coffee houses opened in Italy, Austria and England.

Today coffee is grown on five continents, is consumed worldwide, and is one of the most important factors in our being.

Bellagio, Italy

Bellagio, Italy – The Pearl of Lake Como

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ooking over the magnificent panorama of Lake Como from the Villa Serbelloni Gardens, it’s easy to forget that there is more to this three-winged loch than beauty. The shores are brilliant – the turquoise waters stretching to the distant banks, beaches covered in tiny pebbles and birds of all kinds swooping overhead, sometimes propelling downwards to snap at your sandwich or ice-cream. Behind you, the low, luxuriant peaks stand proudly, gleaming in the rays of the setting sun, covered in rich villas and mansions. Occasional rocky outcrops bathe the lower regions in shade, adding a tone of mystery and drama.

Around the town, the land is full of forest, on a steep incline towards the lake. The fields of crops and produce glow red and yellow in the sunset. The wine-beds are painted in deep purples and blues, reds and oranges, greens and yellows – all the colors of the rainbow transmitted by the moisture-covered vines. The skies are bright, the weather’s warm and somewhere, a few steps down a narrow street, someone is rolling fresh pasta to tempt you back from the shore.

Sitting and eating creamy risotto on one of the many mountain terraces overviewing the lake, you can really appreciate the freedom of a first-class resort evening. One of the restaurants you need to visit is La Punta. Situated on a cliff over the great lake Como, it shows picturesque views of the lake and its surroundings. If you are a great lover of luxurious fish, you must-taste is ‘Soute de-boned "Lavarello" fish in butter and sage’ and the famous fried perch fillet. For gourmets, ‘Il Grana Padano’ and the ‘Il Caprino d'alpeggio sott'olio’ are ever present. But if you wish to see the real Italian culture, do not hesitate to taste the ‘Baked "Lasagne" with tomato and meat sauce’ or the ‘Cheese and radicchio "Tortellini”’. Please, note that pasta is usually in the “First course” menu and not in the main dishes, for it is usually eaten by the Italians as a starter or our equivalent of “soup”.

As for a memorable holiday, you must have the perfect accommodation, do not delude yourself – Villa Serbelloni is the best you can get. Though it has a great price, it presents you with two a-la-carte restaurants, sunny beaches, pristine gardens, clean orderly rooms and views that enchant you. Villa Serbelloni prizes its majestic garden that covers almost 3 km. of land. It shows the view of the century – you cannot take your eye from it. There are different kinds of rooms in the hotel – double room, deluxe double, executive double and the senior site. When I stayed in Serbelloni, I was in the double room and even being the cheapest one – it was simply amazing. Gigantic windows, satellite TV, king-size beds and enormous bathtub – it had it all. I also saw the Senior Suite that my friend was staying in and I was shocked. The room was furnished in pure gold; it had a separate living room and cabinet. It was majestic by all means. It is a wonder, whose room it was before the villa was remade as a hotel?

But, as logic points out, before you can rest in this paradise you must get there. The roads that go to Bellagio are all very narrow and situated on cliffs, so if you do not wish to fall to your death – use a small, agile car that you can control well. The best airport to fly to if you want to stay in Bellagio is the Milan Airport. It is not very far away from the town and is easily accessible from almost any airline. While travelling in the town itself, do not even think about driving through Bellagio on car – the streets are far tot tiny, crowded and steep. It is better to travel on foot.

A major part of the town itself, are its people. There are all very friendly to foreigners, because – duh! – they are their major customers. Many locals are ready to help if there is something you do not know, and are keen to show you the direction (though they try to sell you something during the explanation). But there are some things you must never do, for Italians are very protective and quite sensitive.

Rule #1: Never touch the locals’ dogs without permission; the people are very protective of them.

Rule #2: Be very polite and respectful – never speak over an Italian or shove him.

Rule #3: Never think that Italians keep secrets.

There was once a woman who sold clay pots – all really beautiful and hand-made.  She had a small dog, a puppy even and all the people that came into the shop asked the woman to stroke him. My friend is a great fan of animals; I would say even a maniac. He came to the shop and with the permission of the lady, played with the puppy. He came almost every single day, until the woman said that he can’t come anymore. She was so simply jealous and protective over her dog, that she thought that my friend is going to take him away!

In my opinion, Bellagio is heaven on earth – it is the cream of life, of society and I think that if every city was like Bellagio, I world would be an amazing place. Though the streets are narrow and steep, the people protective and busy – this place is one I would gladly live or at least visit again.

Places to stay:

Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni

Via Roma, 1

22021 Bellagio Como, Italia

031 956432

Places to Eat:

La Punta

Punta spartivento, 19

22021 Bellagio Como, Italia

031 951888