Poetry Workshop (Jenna, Adrianna, Steve)

The song “Marry Me” by train, involves a man that sees a girl and declares confidently to

himself, "She's the one!" Train's romantic ballad "Marry Me" has the message of love and

dedication as its main message. The singer's wish to live out the rest of his days with the person

he loves is expressed in the song's lyrics, as well as the measures he is prepared to do to show

that commitment. The meaning of this song can be interpreted in a variety of ways, but in my

opinion, He wants to wed the girl and spend the rest of their lives together. It seems that they

have been together for so long that they wouldn't understand what it would be like to live without

one another. And that they shouldn't worry about anyone because they won't be aware of the

whole truth. Although they are stylistically, contextually, and historically distinct, the poems "To

My Dear and Loving Husband" by Anne Bradstreet and the song "Marry Me" by Train have a

similar theme of love and devotion. The speaker and their significant other are shown to be

deeply in love and devoted in both the poem and the song. They have a great desire to be

together forever and show unshakeable dedication. Both the poetry and the song highlight the

eternal nature of love via expressions of eternal love. The line from Bradstreet's poetry, "If ever

two were one, then surely we," emphasizes the speaker's unbreakable tie with her spouse. Similar

to this, the lyrics of the song emphasize the need for an everlasting love, saying, "Forever can

never be long enough for me”. While Train's song was released in the twenty-first century, Anne

Bradstreet's poetry was penned in the seventeenth. Language, style, and cultural allusions alter as

a result of the context differences. While Train's song uses modern vocabulary and allusions that

appeal to modern audiences, Bradstreet's poetry uses formal diction and classical allusions that

reflect the language and norms of her day. While Train's song has a lyrical framework with

verses and a chorus, Bradstreet's poem is a classic poem with a formal structure and rhyming

couplets. Using poetic methods and intricate metaphors, Bradstreet's work's poetic form enables

a deeper investigation of the issue.

“Marry Me” by Train:

Forever can never be long enough for me

To feel like I've had long enough with you

Forget the world now, we won't let them see

But there's one thing left to do

Now that the weight has lifted

Love has surely shifted my way

Marry me

Today and every day

Marry me

If I ever get the nerve to say hello in this café

Say you will, hmm-mm

Say you will, hmm-mm

Together can never be close enough for me

To feel like I am close enough to you

You wear white, and I'll wear out the words I love you

And you're beautiful

Now that the wait is over

And love and has finally showed her my way

Marry me

Today and every day

Marry me

If I ever get the nerve to say hello in this café

Say you will, hmm-mm

Say you will, hmm-mm

Promise me you'll always be

Happy by my side

I promise to sing to you

When all the music dies

And marry me

Today and everyday

Marry me

If I ever get the nerve to say hello in this café

Say you will, hmm-mm

Say you will, hmm-mm

Marry me, hmm-mm

Despite their differences in historical setting, linguistic style, and literary form, "To My

Dear and Loving Husband" by Anne Bradstreet and "Marry Me" by Train have a similar message

of love and dedication. Both pieces convey the speaker's intense love for their beloved, but they

do it in different ways that are affected by the times in which they were written and the artistic

media in which they were created. One of the first female writers in America, Anne Bradstreet,

wrote the poem "To My Dear and Loving Husband" in the 17th century. Her intense love and

devotion for her husband are expressed in the poem, which is a love letter to him. The speaker of

the poem, who is likely Anne Bradstreet, begins by thanking and praising her "dear and loving

husband." Since their bond is so deep, she claims that her love for him is unmatched and declares

that "if ever two were one, then surely we." The speaker claims that her love for her husband is

greater than any earthly goods or material belongings. She claims that she cherishes their

emotional connection beyond all else and that her adoration is worth more than all the wealth of

the East or the West. That when we live no more, we may live ever, Bradstreet says, expressing

her wish for their love to endure even after death. She thinks their love would last forever and is

not just for this life on earth. The speaker claims in the poem's epilogue that their love will

endure as long as they are true to one another. She believes that their union in paradise will be a

recompense for their love. "To My Dear and Loving Husband" is a passionate declaration of love

and loyalty in its entirety. Anne Bradstreet extols her husband's affection and declares her faith in

the strength of their union both in this life and the next.

The next poem that we chose was "Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone" By W H

Auden. W. H. Auden's poem "Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone" is a strong and intense

piece of literature. Another name for it is "Funeral Blues." As the speaker laments a profound

personal loss, the poem begins with a directive to stop all the clocks and turn off the telephone.

The speaker begs for silence and stillness because her pain is so great. The speaker continues by

describing how the loss has affected their lives. They want all traffic to stop, and they want the

noise from the planes flying over to stop. They want the depth of their anguish to be understood

by everyone. The speaker's longing for a little period of total silence and alone is expressed in

the next stanza. They desire the extinction of the stars and the depletion of the oceans' resources.

This use of exaggerated language highlights how intensely saddened they are and how the loss

has left them feeling empty. The speaker finishes the poem by pleading for ritual acts of grief.

They desire a parade with the coffin being brought out, mourners dressed in black to signify the

finality of the loss. The speaker expresses their strong emotional bond with the deceased in the

final stanza. All things considered, "Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone" is a touching

portrayal of loss and grieving. The poem effectively conveys the depth of the speaker's grief and

their fervent need for the world to understand and share their suffering. It examines themes of

love, loss, and the devastating effects that a loved one's passing may have on a person's life.

In essence, Both poems and the song that we have chosen show us that the speaker's deep

affection for their beloved, but they express it in various ways that are influenced by the

historical contexts and artistic mediums in which they were produced. The emotional bond

between the poet and their beloved is frequently explored in love poetry. These poets and artists

wrote on their feelings of adoration, vulnerability, and devotion. They described their loved ones

as their motivation, consolation, and comfort. The physical characteristics of their beloved were

depicted by these poets and artists using vivid and passionate imagery. They made analogies

between their loved one's eyes and stars, lips and roses, and hair and silk. This emphasis on

outward attractiveness aids in expressing the strength of attraction and desire.

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43706/to-my-dear-and-loving-husband

https://web.cs.dal.ca/~johnston/poetry/stopclocks.htm