“Ozymandias”- Percy Shelley

I met a traveller from an antique land,

Who said—“Two vast and trunkless legs of stone

Stand in the desert. . . . Near them, on the sand,

Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown,

And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,

Tell that its sculptor well those passions read

Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,

The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed;

And on the pedestal, these words appear:

My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;

Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare

The lone and level sands stretch far away.

“Ozymandias” by Percy Shelley begins with the story of a traveler finding a statue of Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II in the desert. Two vast and trunkless legs of stone” are found lying next to “a shattered visage,” with a frown, wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command. Two broken parts of a whole that symbolized authority and power now portray power’s ephemeral nature and how it dies far more quickly than it is obtained. These emotions being carved among the statue with such detail convey the sculptor’s deep understanding of these emotions, and with this being made in the 13th century B.C., even 3300 years later the emotions are felt to the same extent. The speaker then draws focus to the statue’s pedestal, and reads out what is written, “My name is Ozymandias, the King who rules over even other Kings; Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!” This pedestal acts to confirm the identity of whom this statue is of, and preserves his name clearer than the two parts broken off. He describes himself as royalty, being the “King of Kings,” and appears to be rather arrogant, commanding the “mighty” observes to be in “despair,” or to be hopeless and lacking motivation, when taking in Ozymandias’ colossal amount of superiority over them. The title is significant as the poem revolves around this statue of Ozymandias, which we discover to be an alternative name for Ramesses II, a king of ancient Egypt. The speaker of this poem remains anonymous, and the only information given about the speaker is that they “met a traveler from an antique land.” Specific lines from “Ozymandias” that resonated with me were:

“Tell that its sculptor well those passions read

Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,

The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed”

This shows that Ozymandias portrayed the coldness and conceit felt by this statue to a very comprehensible extent, and by saying “and the heart that fed” the speaker is referring to Ozymandias’ own heart. This can be interpreted in the sense that Ozymandias’ emotions survive carved into the statue, but the spirit of the sculptor survives as well. The most evident literaty device in “Ozymandias” is the consistent use of irony. The statues pedestal, reading “My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings; Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair” makes it seem as though Ramesses II was this great ancient Egyptian King who touched the lives of so many and ruled in a way that no other has ruled before. However, this doesn’t seem to be the case with the only thing remaining in this desert being two broken pieces of his own statue. This can reflect the fleeting nature of power, and how it can escape ones grasp quicker than one may think. In this case, Ramesses’ legacy did not live on forever, as his followers have left his statue in shambles. Due to referencing Ramesses II, this poem is also considered to contain an allusion. Ramesses II is remembered as the third king of the 19th dynasty, and this poem may act as a reference to the fall of many substantial leaders in history, ancient and modern. One thing that specifically stood out to me in this poem was the recurring utilization of caesuras. To describe the words seen on the pedestal, the speaker states “And on the pedestal, these words appear: My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;” There is a pause following the word “appear” to draw focus to the engraving on the stone. There is also a pause within the line “Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!” The pause that follows “works” serves to add pressure to the previously described conceit Ozymandias obtained.

Maybe by Richard Blanco

for Craig

Maybe it was the billboards promising
paradise, maybe those fifty-nine miles
with your hand in mine, maybe my sexy
roadster, the top down, maybe the wind
fingering your hair, sun on your thighs
and bare chest, maybe it was just the ride
over the sea split in two by the highway
to Key Largo, or the idea of Key Largo.
Maybe I was finally in the right place
at the right time with the right person.
Maybe there’d finally be a house, a dog
named Chu, a lawn to mow, neighbors,
dinner parties, and you forever obsessed
with crossword puzzles and Carl Young,
reading in the dark by the moonlight,
at my bedside every night. Maybe. Maybe
it was the clouds paused at the horizon,
the blinding fields of golden sawgrass,
the mangrove islands tangled, inseparable
as we might be. Maybe I should’ve said
something promised you something,
asked you to stay a while, maybe.

“Maybe” by Richard Blanco

This poem highlights the restricting feelings of holding something in, and not speaking one’s mind. Feeling closed off purely due to the inability to initiate or set forth an idea can consume one’s mind over time, more and more each day. The poem expresses the longing that comes with thinking about what could have been rather than taking action when the moment presents itself. Blanco’s feelings towards Craig are mirrored vividly throughout the poem, as he is challenged with the internal conflicts of loving him, and not knowing how to express these feelings. Blanco himself can be characterized as a very confined, yet affectionate person in regards to the poem. The title “Maybe” acts as a “what if” scenario in itself. The endless possibilities of occurrences that could have been all provide feelings of unease and worry among Blanco. A line that I found to be important to the relevance of the poem, and that seemed to tie everything together was “Maybe I should’ve said
something promised you something,
asked you to stay a while, maybe.” The reader can see that the poem is not solely about being with a loved one and enjoying the thrill of the moment, but about the overwhelming thought about what is not happening in the moment. Constantly thinking about what could have been said, what could have been done, and what could have occurred as a result, floods Blanco’s mind, and the reader sees the complexities between what seemed like such a joyous moment. Connotative diction of contentment is shown when Blanco says “sun on your thighs” or “the blinding fields of golden sawgrass,
the mangrove islands tangled, inseparable
as we might be.” The reminiscent and romantic tone adds the significance of memory to such moments. Blanco refers back to memories that he and Craig share, and that heavily weighs into his love for him. The talk about their future together, seemingly coming to life brings him hope as they move forward with their lives together. Reminiscing on the past surely brings them together, as they share similar values when it comes to their future, “Maybe there’d finally be a house, a dog
named Chu, a lawn to mow, neighbors,
dinner parties, and you forever obsessed
with crossword puzzles and Carl Young,
reading in the dark by the moonlight,
at my bedside every night.” Blanco’s descriptive ideals of his future sort of outline a path that he hopes to follow with Craig by his side. In regards to the structure of the poem, the poem is organized into one large stanza, so even though anaphora is not the term to use due to the lack of stanzas, the repetition of the word “Maybe” at the start of several claims highlights all the unnerving possibilities that torment him. Unbalanced sentence structure is also utilized to place even more emphasis on this already-emphasized word. “Maybe. Maybe
it was the clouds paused at the horizon,
the blinding fields of golden sawgrass.” The repetition of “Maybe” along with the sentence with the only word being “Maybe” directs the reader’s attention to the significance this plays in the meaning of the poem. This illustrates a clear reference to the title of the poem as well, and really sticks in the readers head. Its almost as though each time that “Maybe” is said, there is a new string of possibilities introduced. The poem is narrated in past tense and only describes an event that has already occurred between Richard and Craig. Even though the actions have taken place in the past, and are behind Blanco, the thoughts of how these events could have been altered are never-ending and occur repetitively in the present. Overall, this poem alludes to much deeper trains of thought and allows the reader to understand Blanco’s thoughts beneath just the surface level.

Imaginary Exile by Richard Blanco

Dawn breaks my window and dares me
to write a poem brave enough to imagine
the last day I’ll ever see this amber light
color the wind breathing life into the dark
faces of these mountains I know by name,
risen from the bedrock of the only country
I’ve truly lived, resting on the same earth
as this house in which I’ll never rise again–

a poem that captures me making my bed
one last time as the sun climbs the maples
I’ll never again watch burst like fireworks
into fall, or undress themselves, slip into
snow’s white lace. Never again the spring
giggles of my brook, or creaks of my floor.
Never the scent of my peonies or pillows.
Never my eyes on my clouds, or my ears
to the rain on my rooftop in this country–

a poem that finds a word for the emptiness
of suddenly becoming a stranger in my own
kitchen, as I sip my last cup of coffee, linger
with the aroma of my last meal, my hands
trembling as I toss leftovers, wash dishes,
eat one last piece of bread I’ll never break
again, and cork a half-empty bottle of wine
I’ll never finish, a vintage I’ll keep savoring
like memories through my mind’s palate–

a poem that lists which parts of me to part
with, or take: Give up my orchids and dog
to my neighbor Jewel, but keep our stares
goodbye. Leave the china and crystal, but
box the plastic souvenirs. Forget my books,
but pack every letter and card I’ve saved.
Not the gold chains that won’t buy back
my life, but stuff all the loose photos lie
crumbs in my pockets I’ll need to survive–

a poem that brings daisies for my mother,
holds her as I swear I’ll return to hold her
again, though we both know I never will.
That speaks with my father one last time
at his grave, and forgives his silence again,
forever. That hopes my husband can flee
with me, knowing he can’t–our last gaze
a kiss meaning more to us than our first,
as I hold his hand and hand him my keys–

a poem ending as I walk backwards away
from his love at my door to open another–
step into some strange house and country
to harden into a statue of myself, my eyes
fixed and crumbling like the moon, and like
the moon, live by borrowed light, always but
never quite, dying in the sky, never forgiving
my fate, in a poem I never want to write.

“Imaginary Exile” by Richard Blanco

This poem conveys the hardships of leaving behind all one has ever known when moving to a new country. Not only does Blanco emphasize the sorrow he feels for putting such a physical barrier on his familial and romantic relationships, but the sorrow he feels experiencing his last meal in his home, leaving his dog to his neighbor, enjoying a final cup of coffee, and essentially parting ways with everything he had to his name. Pertaining to this poem, Blanco can be characterized as a sentimental and warmhearted person. He holds on tightly to his past and reminiscing on something as little as the sandwich he’s never going to eat there again, portrays his capability to find meaning in the littlest things. The title “Imaginary Exile” provides a sense of displacement which the author feels leaving his homeland, with the displacement being both physical and emotional in this case. “Imaginary” coincides with his internal struggle felt when abandoning the memories and life Blanco has created for himself in Cuba. The line in the poem that resonated the most with me was “a poem that brings daisies for my mother,
holds her as I swear I’ll return to hold her
again, though we both know I never will.” This highlights the struggles of leaving ones country on a more emotional and personal level. Knowing he will never see his mother again adds such depth into his internal ongoing fight. Another line from the poem that i find to be incredibly meaningful is “a poem ending as I walk backwards away
from his love at my door to open another–
step into some strange house and country
to harden into a statue of myself.” This conveys the familiarity Blanco has to desert, and the sacrifices he has to make to obtain a “better” life for himself. Even though this wellbeing comes with quite the cost. Blanco utilizes personification throughout the poem, specifically when stating “a poem that captures me making my bed
one last time as the sun climbs the maples
I’ll never again watch burst like fireworks
into fall, or undress themselves, slip into
snow’s white lace.” Human like characteristics are given to inanimate objects, such as the sun climbing and the trees undressing and slipping into snows white lace. Blanco expresses a sense of sorrow towards being unable to experience the color of the trees changing for the fall, and the shedding of their vibrant leaves into bare branches for the winter time. Blanco uses a simile when stating “my eyes
fixed and crumbling like the moon, and like
the moon, live by borrowed light, always but
never quite.” He effectively compares his own limited vison that comes with his relocation, to the moon and the borrowed light the moon is only able to live in. Blanco starts each stanza besides the first with “a poem” in order to establish the importance the poem holds on the voicing and expression of his struggles of his displacement. The poetic technique of an anaphora is applied here. Regarding linear structure, the poem is uniform throughout, with no irregular stanzas or indents. I cannot personally relate to the poem, although my parents did experience a very similar scenario. Both of my parents left behind their entire lives and all of their family members and friends in their home country of Poland. They moved for the purpose of bettering their lives and for increased opportunities in various aspects. This has had a very large effect on my life, balancing two distinct cultures that have their own unique elements, and seeing my family members on very, very rare occasions. Overall, Blanco carries out the hardships of leaving ones home country very accurately.

Richard Blanco

Bio: Born on February 15, 1968, in Madrid, Blanco grew up in Miami, where he received a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering as well as an MFA in creative writing from Florida International University. He is a is a poet whose cultural heritage and professional interests epitomize diversity.