Cat's Dream by Pablo Neruda

For this post I am going to paraphrased a poem by a famous Chilean poet named Pablo Neruda. Originally it was in spanish, but I have managed to find one that has been traslated.

Cat's Dream by Pablo Neruda 

How neatly a cat sleeps,
sleeps with its paws and its posture,
sleeps with its wicked claws,
and with its unfeeling blood,
sleeps with all the rings--
a series of burnt circles--
which have formed the odd geology
of its sand-colored tail.

I should like to sleep like a cat,
with all the fur of time,
with a tongue rough as flint,
with the dry sex of fire;
and after speaking to no one,
stretch myself over the world,
over roofs and landscapes,
with a passionate desire
to hunt the rats in my dreams.

I have seen how the cat asleep
would undulate, how the night
flowed through it like dark water;
and at times, it was going to fall
or possibly plunge into
the bare deserted snowdrifts.
Sometimes it grew so much in sleep
like a tiger's great-grandfather,
and would leap in the darkness over
rooftops, clouds and volcanoes.

Sleep, sleep cat of the night,
with episcopal ceremony
and your stone-carved moustache.
Take care of all our dreams;
control the obscurity
of our slumbering prowess
with your relentless heart
and the great ruff of your tail.

 PARAPHRASED! 

Stanza 1           
First, I am of the opinion that the poet is looking at a cat and thought of how comfortable it looks. With all the fluffy fur that will help it relax and sleep. For most of this first stanza, the poet is describing the cat.

Stanza 2           
The poet revealed how much he wants to sleep the way cat does. Cats do not have to socialize much and can freely lay and strecth to sleep anywhere it wants

Stanza 3           
Next, the poet says that he had seen how a cat sleep and he mentions of the place the cat can sleep at. Perhaps the poet is envy of the cas ability to sleep freely

Stanza 4          
Now the poet is encouraging the cat to sleep to experience the dreams that human desire. To slumber with no care of the world

FINAL SAY       
Interesingly, the poet can be said as an animal person because in looking at his other poems, there are other mentioning of animals like dogs and birds. The poet managed to make us realised and think back to a moment when we last see a cat sleep and how much cofortable it looks.

If youre not satisfied by my paraphrasing of this poem, please leave a comment and say how you think it should be done.

THANK YOU

Sonnet 1 by William Shakespeare

Going back to famous Shakespeare's sonnet I have decided to paraphrased the first ever sonnet written by the famous poet

Sonnet 1 by William Shakespeare                                             

From fairest creatures we desire increase,
That thereby beauty's rose might never die,
But as the riper should by time decease,
His tender heir might bear his memory:
But thou, contracted to thine own bright eyes,
Feed'st thy light's flame with self-substantial fuel,
Making a famine where abundance lies,
Thyself thy foe, to thy sweet self too cruel.
Thou that art now the world's fresh ornament
And only herald to the gaudy spring,
Within thine own bud buriest thy content
And, tender churl, makest waste in niggarding.
    Pity the world, or else this glutton be,
    To eat the world's due, by the grave and thee.

(source, Shakespeare Sonnet)

PARAPHRASED                                                                                                            

Stanza1                                                                                                                         

The poet starts of the poem by mentioning how much we wanted to be beautiful (attractive) so that our surrounding would also be beautiful. The author mentions how in the end we would all die but we are capable of producing an heir to our beauty. However, there are some people that would not do so, keeping his/her beauty all to herself (even obsessing about it). These people are considered cruel to themselves because they are wasting the gift that is given to themselves (their looks). Thus the author is encouraging these beauties to married and reproduce so that their beauty would last.

FINAL SAY                                                                                                                    

In my opinion, the poet is trying to give or persuade those people in his time who would not get married and prefer to live all by themselves till the end.

If youre not satisfied by my paraphrasing of this poem, please leave a comment and say how you think it should be done.

THANK YOU

Heir Conditioning by M.Shanmughalingam

I would like to help the secondary students in this post by paraphrasing one of the poem they would learn in form 1-3. I present to you Heir Conditioning by the famous Malaysian poet M.Shanmughalingam

Heir Conditioning

Grand dad did you breathe

Before air cons were invented

Wasn't it hard staying

Alive without modern inventions

Gandma weren't you flustered

As you fluttered with paper fans

Could you communicate before

Faxes and long distance calls

Became basic necessities?

Grand child we lived

Before your age because

Of our ignorance,

We did not know

Pollution, stress, traffic jams

Destruction of forests, streams and hills

We feared God and nature

Now nature fears you and

Money is your new God

(source, Literature component form 1-3)

PARAPHRASED!

Stanza 1

In the first stanza the author questions on how in the past people managed to survived without modern invention such as air conditioning, hand phones and fax machines

Stanza 2

In the final stanza the author question on how future generations will live due to today's living standard. The author blames himself (his generation) for all the polutions that occur today and the destruction of mother nature. The highest power today accordint to the author is money and it controls everything (god like)

FINAL SAY

The author proves that he is one of Malysian's best poets with bold and vivid use of words and how he cleverly titled the poem Heir Conditioning (similar pronounciation to Air Conditioning)

If youre not satisfied by my paraphrasing of this poem, please leave a comment and say how you think it should be done.

THANK YOU

Mr. Nobody

In this post I am going to paraphrased a poem by an anonymous writer entitled Mr.Nobody

Mr.Nobody

I know a funny little man,
As quiet as a mouse,
Who does the mischief that is done
In everybody’s house.
There’s no one ever sees his face,
And yet we all agree
That every plate we break was cracked
By Mr., Nobody

‘Tis he who always tears our books,
who leaves our doors ajar;
he pulls the buttons from our shirts,
and scatters pins afar,
that squeaking door will always squeak,
because of this you see:
we leave the oiling to be done
by Mr Nobody.

He puts damp wood upon the fire,
So kettles cannot boil;
His are the feet that bring in mud
And all the carpets soil.
The papers always are mislaid,
Who had them last but he?
There’s no one tosses them about
But Mr. Nobody 

(source, PoemHunter)

PARAPHRASED!

Stanza 1

In the beginning of the poem, the author introduces the reader to a Mr. Nobody and he is told to have the appearance of a little man. Mr. Nobody is responsible for every wrong doings that ever occured in everybody's house

Stanza 2

The author talks on how Mr. Nobody would tear out pages from books or leaving the door unclosed. He would also pulls button from other people's shirt and act unreliably (he is told to oil the door but does not do so)

Stanza 3

Mr. Nobody is not good at camping because he would put damp wood in the fireplace . He is also indecent as he would not wash his feet when he enters somebody's house and that he would mislaid the paper

Stanza 4

In the final stanza, the author said that Mr. Nobody would open the door without cleaning his hand and leave the blinds unclosed. Irresponsibly, he would spill ink and leave his pair of boots lying aroud the house.

FINAL SAY

By now the reader would have understand that the author is talking about little children. Mr. Nobody is actually a little child who would not confess to all his wrongdoings and said that "nobody" did it  

 :)

If youre not satisfied by my paraphrasing of this poem, please leave a comment and say how you think it should be done.

THANK YOU

Be Glad Your Nose is on Your Face by Jack Prelutsky

The title might be weird but there is something about this poem that I just have to paraphrased. After all, I am getting bored of paraphrasing poems on suicidal attempt, love, etc.

I present the poem

Be Glad Your Nose is on Your Face by Jack Prelutsky

Be glad your nose is on your face,
not pasted on some other place,
for if it were where it is not,
you might dislike your nose a lot.

Imagine if your precious nose
were sandwiched in between your toes,
that clearly would not be a treat,
for you'd be forced to smell your feet.

Your nose would be a source of dread
were it attached atop your head,
it soon would drive you to despair,
forever tickled by your hair.

Within your ear, your nose would be
an absolute catastrophe,
for when you were obliged to sneeze,
your brain would rattle from the breeze.

Your nose, instead, through thick and thin,
remains between your eyes and chin,
not pasted on some other place--
be glad your nose is on your face!

PARAPHRASED!

Stanza 1

Just like the title , the poet starts of saying how lucky we are that our nose is on our face instead of somewhere else

Stanza 2

In the second stanza, the poet wants the reader to imagined what it would be like if our nose was placed between our toes. Then saying that it would a disaster because we have to smell our own foot

Stanza 3

Then, the poet said that it would also be dreadful if our nose is placed on top of our head as it would be tickel by our own hair

Stanza 4

Now, the poet wants his reader to realised that if our nose are inside our ear, whenever we sneezes it would certainly cause a lot of vibrations that could damaged our own brain

Stanza 5

In this final stanza the poet wants the reader to realised and be glad that our nose are on our face instead of other place.

FINAL SAY

After a few research i've found out that the poet is actually someone who wrote for little children which explains a lot on the humor that he brings in this poem

If youre not satisfied by my paraphrasing of this poem, please leave a comment and say how you think it should be done.

THANK YOU

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

For this posting, I will paraphrase a poem by Shel Silverstein named "Where the sidewalk ends"

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.

Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.

Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.


(source, FamousPoetsAndPoems)


PARAPHRASED!


Stanza 1
The author of the poem starts of with the description of "a place" where the sidewalk end. At this so called place, it is surrounded by nature and looks stunningly beautiful. It is to the point that the author describes the wind to be in the state/taste of peppermint.


Stanza 2
Then, the author focus his attention to the place surrounding the sidewalk. It is the complete opposite of before. Here, the place is filled with black smoke and the term "asphalt flower" symbolize how badly polluted it is. However in the last 3 lines the author said of a white arrow that points to a place where this "torture" would end.


Stanza 3
The author is encouraging the readers to follow the arrow no matter how slow or hard because in the end that's where the children wanted.


FINAL SAY
This poem in all shows how much suffering that we are going to cause to the future generations and one day there would no longer be a place where the children can play freely in unpolluted areas.

If youre not satisfied by my paraphrasing of this poem, please leave a comment and say how you think it should be done.

THANK YOU

Life Is Fine by Langston Hughes

For the next post on enriching our lives with knowledge on poem I've decided to up the tempo by paraphrasing a long poem made famous by a lad name Langston Hughes. I came across this poem and I seriously have to put my thoughts into it!

As usual, here is the poem...

Life Is Fine by Langston Hughes

 

I went down to the river,
I set down on the bank.
I tried to think but couldn't,
So I jumped in and sank.

I came up once and hollered!
I came up twice and cried!
If that water hadn't a-been so cold
I might've sunk and died.

But it was Cold in that water! It was cold!

I took the elevator
Sixteen floors above the ground.
I thought about my baby
And thought I would jump down.

I stood there and I hollered!
I stood there and I cried!
If it hadn't a-been so high
I might've jumped and died.

But it was High up there! It was high!

So since I'm still here livin',
I guess I will live on.
I could've died for love--
But for livin' I was born

Though you may hear me holler,
And you may see me cry--
I'll be dogged, sweet baby,
If you gonna see me die.

Life is fine! Fine as wine! Life is fine! 

PARAPHRASED!

Because the poem has lots of stanza but short lines I've decided to paraphrase two or three at a time (for your reading pleasure)

Stanza 1, 2 & 3

This poem has a rather creepy feeling about it & I could tell just by my first impression that it is about a suicide attempt. The first three stanza talks on how the poet went to a river bank and tried to kill himself by drowning. The poet did not think about the consequences of his action in this attempt. However he failed miserably because the water was to cold for him to ignore and drown himself in. The third stanza shows how much the poet emphasize on the coldness of the river.

Stanza 4, 5 & 6

These stanzas continue the tale of another suicidal attempt made by the poet. This time he decided to jump off a building. However, this time he actually thought of his action and remembered his baby (could be referring to an actual baby or his lover?). But the lines suggest that the baby is the reason why he wanted to jump. But after several screams he decided to pull back as he was afraid of the height.

Stanza 7, 6 & 8

In these last stanzas the author talks on how much he is still alive today. The first two lines could mean that the reason for the poet's suicidal attempt was because of a heartbreak. The sixth stanza shows how much the author has went through with this "me" but he would never do anything that could worsen the scenario. And in the last and final stanza the author emphasize it as a whole by using an exclamation mark as if he was trying to convince himself that everything is fine rather than convincing others around him.

FINAL SAY

I'm applauding the poet for making such a bold move by turning his suicide attempts into an amazing poem!

If youre not satisfied by my paraphrasing of this poem, please leave a comment and say how you think it should be done.

THANK YOU

I'm NOBODY, Who are you? by Emily Dickinson

Here's a picture of the one and only Emily Dickinson of which I'm going to paraphrase one of her poems (hopefully without me misinterpreting any of the content). As usual I present to you the poem

I'm Nobody! Who are you? by Emily Dickinson

I'm Nobody! Who are you?
Are you -- Nobody -- Too?
Then there's a pair of us!
Don't tell! they'd advertise -- you know!

How dreary -- to be -- Somebody!
How public -- like a Frog --
To tell one's name -- the livelong June --
To an admiring Bog!

(source, FamousPoetsAndPoems)

PARAPHRASED!

Stanza 1

The poet starts of the poem by willingfully admits of being an outsider or a stranger and ask the reader (or someone) who they are. Then, she answers her own question by a statement of "are you a nobody too?" and the third stanza could indicate that she is relieved that there is someone like her. But in the final stanza the poet said not to reveal who they are because she is afraid of being labelled or in her own word "advertise"

Stanza 2

In the second and final stanza, the poet said of how much she hates to be someone that is famous and comred those who does to frogs (perhaps because frogs make a lot of noise). The 3rd and fourth line shows how much these "frogs" only caught the attention of those around them which are said to be the "bog"

FINAL SAY

Emily Dickinson proves herself to be a fantastic poet with her long list of great poems including this one. The way she uses an amphibian as a symbol to famous people is a way of showing how bold she can be.

If youre not satisfied by my paraphrasing of this poem, please leave a comment and say how you think it should be done.
THANK YOU

The Road not Taken by Robert Frost

Next in line is the infamous poem by Robert frost which is The Road not Taken.

As usual, I present to you the original poem

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim Because it was grassy and wanted wear, Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I marked the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.  (source, poem hunter) PARAPHRASED ! Stanza 1 The poem starts with the author encountering two different road choices (the yellow wood means that it is somewhere in fall). He is having a hard time deciding which road he should take as he tried to look far down both road as he could to make up his mind. Stanza 2 The poet then decided to use the road less traveled by. The author thought the road he took is different from the usual one but realised that they are both quite the same Stanza 3 The poem continue with the decription of the road he took and that leaves were falling from the tree (perhaps the only difference he could find between both roads). the fact that the leaves were still fresh of the trees and had not been marked yet intrigue the author to come again to marked them (the author wants to be the first one to do so) Stanza 4 This last stanza is very tricky as to determine whether the author's decision is justifed. Because the author used the word sigh as if he is sad over the decision but the final line shows how much he appreciates the differences that road has made to his life. FINAL SAY The poem seems to focus on the decisions that one made in their life and how it affects them afterwards. It shows how much different choices could result in similar or rather different outcome. If youre not satisfied by my paraphrasing of this poem, please leave a comment and say how you think it should be done. THANK YOU

SONNET 138 by William Shakespeare

For this post i've decided to do another famous sonnet by Shakespeare but shifting from the theme on self-pity to unfaithfulness.

SONNET 138 by William Shakespeare

When my love swears that she is made of truth
I do believe her, though I know she lies,
That she might think me some untutor'd youth,
Unlearned in the world's false subtleties.
Thus vainly thinking that she thinks me young,
Although she knows my days are past the best,
Simply I credit her false speaking tongue:
On both sides thus is simple truth suppress'd.
But wherefore says she not she is unjust?
And wherefore say not I that I am old?
O, love's best habit is in seeming trust,
And age in love loves not to have years told:
Therefore I lie with her and she with me,
And in our faults by lies we flatter'd be.

(source, Shakespeare Online)

PARAPHRASED!

The poet starts of his sonnet by mentioning his lover swearing of her love for him followed by the second stanza that mentions how the poet belives her though he knew she lied. (perhaps the poet still cannot accept the fact that she is unfaithful). 

Then the poet revealed that he is not some teenagers that can fall for lies like that. The poet describe himself as 'past his best' which could mean that he is actually quite old.

He praised his lover for believeng that she can lie to him and question himself whether or not she deserves to do so. With his insecurity over his age and love acting as a disguise to her unfaithfulness. The poet does not want to question the age difference between him and his lover. 

Thus the lies that they told each other help in maintaining their relationship as it canceled out any imperfection they both have.

FINAL SAY

I believe that the poet focus on the point of view of someone who is cheated on and how age is a disturbing factor when it comes to relationships.

If youre not satisfied by my paraphrasing of this poem, please leave a comment and say how you think it should be done.
THANK YOU

SONNET 29 by William Shakespeare

For the next poem I am going to paraphrase, I choose to do one of Shakespeare most famous Sonnet which is Sonnet 29

First, here is the poem in text

SONNET 29 by William Shakespeare

When, in disgrace with Fortune and men's eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state,
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,
And look upon myself, and curse my fate,

Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,
Desiring this man's art and that man's scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;

Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising
Haply I think on thee: and then my state,
Like to the Lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate

For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings

That then I scorn to change my state with kings

(source, For Better, For Verse)

 PARAPHRASED!

Stanza 1
At a quick glance it seems that the poet is focusing on his misfortune. The poet is sad that people look at him poorly because he is not wealthy nor good-looking. He mention that he would spend time weeping and cursing over his miserable life.

Stanza 2
Then the poet start to mind his surrounding and wishing that he would be like some of the man around him. Man who are rich with lots of friends, so that he would be treated differently and that he would enjoy every moment if it happen

Stanza 3
In stanza 3, the author snaps from his daydream and despised himself. Then, he remembered his partner and his own self. He appreciated how much he can still count on the one he loves most.

Stanza 4
Finally, the poet still hates his condition and he wish to be able to change himself with the king

FINAL SAY

In my opinion, this sonnet is not one of Shakespear's best but it still delivers in giving the message that love is blind. This is because the poet speaks of himself badly but his lover still sticks with him while ignoring everything about him

If youre not satisfied by my paraphrasing of this poem, please leave a comment and say how you think it should be done.
THANK YOU

He Had Such Quiet Eyes by Bibsy Soenharjo

The second poem that I will take the pleasure of paraphrasing is He Had such Quiet Eyes by Bibsy Soenharjo.
First, here's the poem

HE HAD SUCH QUIET EYES

He had such quiet eyes

She did not realise

They were two pools of lies

Layered with thinnest ice

Were breathing desolate sighs

Imploring her to be nice

And to render him paradise

If only she'd been wise

And had listened to the advice

never to compromise

With pleasure-seeking guys

She's be free from "the hows and whys"

Now here's a bit of advice

Be sure that nice really means nice

Then you'll never be losing at dice

Though you may lose your heart once or twice

(source, english literature component textbook for form 4 and 5)

PARAPHRASED!

STANZA 1
My first guest after a quick glance of the poem is that the author is trying to convey the message of abusive husbands. This is base on the statement that "the eyes of the man are two pools of lies". This could mean that the man promised good things to the woman before but never fulfilled them. The last 4 lines in stanza 1 is another proof of the man abusing the woman by making her following all of his orders.

STANZA 2
In the second stanza, it shows that the woman did not listen to advices (probably from her parents) not to be with the man because of what they see in him

STANZA 3
In the last stanza the author is giving advice to the readers (female) that whenever you're looking for a husband, be sure to find someone who is actually sincere eventhough he did not reach some of the criteria that is wanted of him (good looking, tall, etc.)

FINAL SAY

This poem actually speaks for itself and that woman must choose their life partner wisely if they wish to be happy in the future.

If youre not satisfied by my paraphrasing of this poem, please leave a comment and say how you think it should be done.
THANK YOU

LEISURE by William H. Davies

The first poem that I will paraphrase stanza by stanza is a short yet meaningful in content.
Written by William Henry Davies, 'Leisure' is a poem focusing on how human is no longer capable of enjoying their environment.

The Poem

LEISURE

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this is if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare. 

(source, POEM HUNTER)

PARAPHRASED!

STANZA 1
The poet ask of life and whether it is meaningful, followed by the second line stating that we (human) are no longer able to spent time looking aimlessly on our surroundings


STANZA 2
In the second stanza, the poet mention that simple task like standing beneath trees and looking at farm animals is no longer doable. Perhaps the author is thinking of how as a child we would spent time doing this but no longer able to do so today.


STANZA 3
In this stanza, the poet focus on mother nature and it's beauty with the mentioning of woods (forest) and its inhabitants (the squirell)


STANZA 4
Here, the poet seems sad that we no longer have time to contemplate our surrounding in daytime and watch the beauty of stars at night


STANZA 5
Then, the poet talks on Beauty (could be reffering to the one we love) and that we are so strained so much on time that we could not even take a quick glance at her, let alone watced her dance


STANZA 6
In the sixth stanza the poet still focus on Beauty and added thay we are so busy that we can't even see her beautiful smile


STANZA 7
In the final stanza the poet answers his first question on the first stanza stating that this life is sad even if we never waste any time on our work. Because it is important for us to enjoy our surroundings if we still can

FINAL SAY 

I'm actually astounded by this poem and how it focus on the busyness of human lives (working) today that we are no longer enjoying it. The use of question and statement 'full of care' followed by stanzas mentioning our bad time management shows how we only 'care' on our occupation rather than caring on what is more important.

If youre not satisfied by my paraphrasing of this poem, please leave a comment and say how you think it should be done.
THANK YOU