Explication paper, here we go

[nova_myth]

My first paragraph is coming along, but I am stuck with the second because of lack of info. Its maddening that the only references I find either are of limited details or only have reference to the poem I'm working on and I have to stay away from looking at other peoples rendering of the poem! But here is, tell me what you think?

In Li-Young Lee’s “I Ask My Mother to Sing” the speaker is reflecting back to when he would listen to his mother and his grandmother sing of a China he has never seen. The tone is one of remembrance, the song has been sung so many times. In lines 3 and 4 you learn that even though the father has passed he was once part of this song, “If my father were alive, he would play--/his accordion and sway like a boat” (Lee 627). The reader can feel the sorrow and nostalgic of the memory as he begins to describe his mother’s song.

The rough draft is due Tues, I'm going to the Library tomorrow for more research. If I don't find what I need... I'll just write what I can at the moment, what can I do? I'm emailing my friend who is from China and see if she can imput me any info on the places mentioned in the poem so I can have an image that isn't drawn from someone else's rendering.

Comments

[mmouse15.livejournal.com]

I'll admit to being confused. What problem are you having with the poem, exactly? Seems if you're doing an analysis of it, your paragraph is good and you're on the right track, so what's the hang-up? *is dumb tonight*

[nova-myth.livejournal.com]

The next stanza, oh wow just used a new vocab work lol, specifically mentions places in China, mostly in Beijing. But when I looked up the late and "the Stone Boat" I get stuff talk about the poem and not the acutal places. I'm also hitting brick wall on Chinese history, all I find is summaries of the time periods I'm looking at -sighs- Hence why I am going to the library before work tomorrow. I'm also fighting my ADHD, I get frustrated and it makes me loose my train of thought. If I don't find what I need tomorrow its going to be a very short ruff draft but oh well, I'm turning in something that has the requirements until I get more in it. The actual paper isn't due for another two weeks so I'm not panicking.

[nova-myth.livejournal.com]

when I look up the lake*. Based on the fact I'm typoing and I nearly knocked my water bottle everywhere I think I'm calling it a night ... I need a full nights sleep... -glares at lucky- if someone doesn't poop in their sleep.

[mmouse15.livejournal.com]

Go to Google Images and type in 'Summer Palace' China. It gives you a picture of the palace with the referenced lake in front of it. The palace is in the city.

Kennel Lucky. They never poop in their own kennels.

Sleep well!

[nova-myth.livejournal.com]

ROFL, the Summer Palace is one of the places specifically mentioned in the poem!

And Oh yes he does! He doesn't get up and poop, no poops IN his sleep... so he does it pretty much anywhere...

I've figured after some observation this happens when he doesn't go potty when I let him out before bed. He's done it about ten times this summer...

I looked up the Summer Palace, I'm just hoping the library has some photography books for me to look at, and if not Bookstore after work to flip through so I can have something to look at to desribe.