Shivpreet Singh

I slept all day.
The birds do thus
That sing a while
At eve for us

To have you soon
I gave away --
Well satisfied
To give -- a day

Life's not so short
I care to keep
The unhappy days;
I choose to sleep.

Other poems by Robert Frost

When it is dark, the saints see stars. And when the days are unhappy, Frost chooses to sleep.

"I Slept All Day" is a short poem by Robert Frost that expresses a simple yet profound sentiment about life, happiness, and the value of time. Let's analyze the poem stanza by stanza:

Stanza 1:

"The birds do thus

That sing a while

At eve for us"

In these lines, Frost is drawing a parallel between the birds that sing in the evening and the speaker's desire to have someone dear to them soon. The birds' singing represents a fleeting, ephemeral moment of beauty, just like the joy and anticipation the speaker feels about the arrival of their loved one.

Stanza 2:

"To have you soon

I gave away --

Well satisfied

To give -- a day"

Here, the speaker reveals that they gave away a day in anticipation of the arrival of their loved one. This act of sacrifice is done willingly and happily, as the speaker is "well satisfied" with giving away a day of their life to be with the person they care about.

Stanza 3:

"Life's not so short

I care to keep

The unhappy days;

I choose to sleep."

In these lines, Frost presents a broader philosophical perspective on life. The speaker suggests that life is not so short that they would want to hold onto or preserve the unhappy days. Instead, they choose to "sleep," which can be interpreted both literally as a peaceful rest and metaphorically as a way to avoid or escape from the unpleasant aspects of life.

Overall, the poem reflects a desire for joy and contentment in life, a willingness to give up time for the sake of love and happiness, and a preference for focusing on positive experiences while avoiding unnecessary suffering. Frost's concise and thought-provoking style captures the essence of these sentiments, inviting readers to reflect on their own approach to life and the pursuit of happiness.

Other poems by Robert Frost

Butkada phir baad muddat ke magar raushan hua,
Noor-e-Ibrahim se aazaar ka ghar raushan hua!
Phir uthi aakhir sada tawhid ki Punjab se,
Hind ko ik mard-e-kamil ne jagaya khwab se!

(After and age, once again the temple became radiant;
Aazar’s house shone with the glory of Abraham.
Once again, the call of God’s unity arose from Punjab
From its dream Hind was awakened by a Perfect man.)

In his poem "Nanak," Allama Iqbal describes Guru Nanak as a beacon of monotheism and the spirit of social justice and equality. Iqbal believes that exploitation and deceit in the name of religion are disgraceful, as they undermine the very essence of life - social justice and equality. Let's examine how Iqbal portrays Guru Nanak in his poetry and the significance of his teachings.

Iqbal's poem focuses on four main themes - Gautama Buddha and his teachings, the essence of truth and monotheism, the spirit of social justice and equality, and Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. Out of the eight couplets in the poem, the first six are dedicated to the first three themes, while the last two couplets are dedicated to Guru Nanak.

Iqbal begins by lamenting that India failed to recognize the value of Buddha and his teachings. Buddha's message emphasized spiritual growth by renouncing worldly desires, but the Indians were too preoccupied with pursuing prestige, power, and property. While Buddha tried to lead them towards spiritual salvation, they remained ignorant of his divine truth, much like a tree unaware of the sweetness of its own fruits.

Buddha's teachings revolved around the Four Noble Truths, which advocated freeing oneself from worldly attachments to alleviate suffering. However, the Indian society persisted with its discriminatory caste system, displaying reluctance towards accepting the truth and enlightenment shared by Buddha. India, according to Iqbal, remained barren despite the rains of Buddha's teachings falling upon it.

Iqbal then expresses anguish over the long-standing exploitation of the lower-caste Shudras in India. He points out that the absence of compassion and humanitarianism in Indian society perpetuated sorrow and suffering. The Brahmins, intoxicated with their self-made casteist dogmas, hindered the acceptance of Buddha's message. While foreign lands like China and Japan embraced Buddha's teachings, India failed to benefit from the divine light.

In the last two couplets, Iqbal shifts his focus to Guru Nanak and the concept of monotheism. He proclaims that India's illumination came with the birth of Guru Nanak in Punjab, where the spirit of monotheistic commandments would be rejuvenated. Iqbal highlights the broader perspective of monotheism, not confined to any particular religion, including Islam and Sikhism. He mentions that even Hinduism's Vedas contain references to its monotheistic nature. Crucially, Iqbal asserts that true monotheistic literature must promote social justice and equality.

Iqbal praises Guru Nanak as the "mard-e-kamil," the perfect man, who embarked on a mission to awaken the slumbering souls of India. For Iqbal, Guru Nanak epitomizes the vision of a monotheist, challenging exploitation, oppression, and submission of one human being by another. Guru Nanak's mission encompassed the pursuit of social justice and equality, aligning with the fundamental duty of a monotheist - to uplift the masses and end oppression.

In the context of contemporary India, Iqbal's poem "Nanak" carries high relevance. It calls for believers to understand and unravel the true tenets of their religions, focusing on the betterment of humanity and promoting social justice. In a time of rising religious differences, environmental issues, and a decline in rationality and scientific temper, Iqbal's message encourages people to embody the spirit of social justice and equality championed by Guru Nanak and other monotheistic leaders.

Iqbal brings Guru Nanak centre stage. The world is dark, all great teachings have been forgotten and migrated to distant land, and caste is crushing the oppressed. All of a sudden history repeates itself. Giving the analogy of Prophet Abraham’s father, Aazaar (a consummmate artist, maker of idols) in whose house Abraham, the Father of Wahdaniyat(One God) was born. Guru Nanak was thus sent to earth to spread this very Wahdaniyat. The soil of Punjab gave call for Unity and India was awakened from its deep slumber by a man who is Kamil or complete, the perfect Man, Guru Nanak.

Syeda Hameed in her essay ‘My Rama Secular Hindu Divine’ in The Little Magazine , Vol. VII : Issue 5 & 6, Page 33

You pray in the day, but sleep at night
During the night, dogs are awake.
They are better!
They cannot stop barking at night
While during the day they sleep on stones
They are better
They don't leave their master's door
Even if they are beaten with shoes.
They are better
Get up Bulleh Shah! Go find your love
otherwise dogs have won over you
They are better

ਬੁੱਲਿਆ, ਰਾਤੀਂ ਸੌਵੇਂ, ਦਿਨੇ ਪੀਰ ਸਦਾਵੇਂ, ਰਾਤ ਨੂੰ ਜਾਗਣ ਕੁੱਤੇ, ਤੈਂ ਥੀ ਉੱਤੇ
ਰਾਤੀਂ ਭੌਂਕਣੋ ਬਸ ਨਹੀਂ ਕਰਦੇ, ਦਿਨੇ ਜਾ ਰੋੜਾਂ ਵਿਚ ਸੁੱਤੇ, ਤੈਂ ਥੀ ਉੱਤੇ
ਖ਼ਸਮ ਆਪਣੇ ਦਾ...
ਯਾਰ ਆਪਣੇ ਦਾ ਦਰ ਨਹੀ ਛੱਡਦੇ, ਭਾਵੇਂ ੧੦੦ ੧੦੦ ਮਾਰਨ ਜੁੱਤੇ, ਤੈਂ ਥੀ ਉੱਤੇ
ਉੱਠ ਬੁੱਲਿਆ, ਚਲ ਯਾਰ ਮਨਾ ਲੈ, ਨਹੀ ਤਾ ਬਾਜ਼ੀ ਲੈ ਗਏ ਕੁੱਤੇ, ਤੈਂ ਥੀ ਉੱਤੇ

Reminds me of a poem by Mary Oliver

“The Sweetness of Dogs” by Mary Oliver

What do you say, Percy? I am thinking
the moon rise. It’s full tonight.
So we go
and the moon rises, so beautiful it
makes me shudder, makes me think about
time and space, makes me take
measure of myself: one iota
pondering heaven. Thus we sit, myself

of sitting out on the sand to watch

thinking how grateful I am for the moon’s
perfect beauty and also, oh! how rich
it is to love the world. Percy, meanwhile,
leans against me and gazes up
into my face. As though I were just as wonderful
as the perfect moon.

Also Bulleh Shah On Dancing

ਦਿਲ ਵਿਚ ਤਾਰ ਇਸ਼ਕ਼ ਦੀ ਵੱਜਦੀ,ਕਿਤੇ ਨਾਲੇ ਵੱਜਦੀ ਖੰਜਰੀ ਏ
ਬੁੱਲਿਆ, ਨੱਚ ਕੇ ਯਾਰ ਮਨਾ ਲੈਣਾ ਭਾਵੇਂ ਲੋਕ ਕਹਿਨ ਇਹ ਕੰਜਰੀ ਏ

English version who can not understand punjabi script.
Bullyea rati jaage dine peer sadave, raat nu jaagan kutte, tai thi utte.
Ratti bhaukno bass nahi karde, dine ja rora wich sutte, tai thi utte.
khasam apne da..
yaar apne da, darr nahi chhadde, bahve 100 100 maran jutte,tai thi utte.
uth Bullyea chal yaar mana lai, nahi ta bazi lai gaye kutte, tai thi utte.
Dil wich taar ishq di wajdi kite naale wajdi khanjri e.
oye Bullyea nach ke yaar mana laina bhave lok kehan ih kanjri e.

- The purpose of life is to sing
http://www.shivpreetsingh.com

Bob Hass is one of the poets who encouraged me when I started reading contemporary poetry. He introduced me to the poetry of Jane Hirshfield. Today I read the poem "A Supple Wreath Of Myrtle" From "Time and Materials" written by Bob Hass. First the poem, and then some of my thoughts.

A Supple Wreath Of Myrtle
Robert Hass

Poor Nietzsche in Turin, eating sausage his mother
Mails to him from Basel. A rented room,
A small square window framing August clouds
Above the mountain. Brooding on the form
Of things: the dangling spur
Of an Alpine columbine, winter-tortured trunks
Of cedar in the summer sun, the warp in the aspen's trunk
Where it torqued up through the snowpack.

"Everywhere the wasteland grows; woe
To him whose wasteland is within."

Dying of syphilis. Trimming a luxuriant mustache.
In love with the opera of Biznet.

This is a 12 line poem that introduced me to Nietzsche, a German philosopher whose most often quoted line is the following:

The wasteland grows. Woe to him who hides the wasteland within.

I am wondering what the context was. Nietzsche was probably thinking about the destruction from the war. That we are creating a bigger and bigger wasteland. The second Nietzsche line is more mysterious. To me it reads that there is so much waste outside, but that is not the cause of much woe. Much of human woe is caused from the wasteland that is within. There is the potential for the human soul to emerge from the surrounding wasteland. There is the hope for a pristine lotus from within.

The poem lays a contrast between this man -- who apparently enjoys sausage, his loving mother, beautiful trees (which he seems to find faults in), the luxury of an exaggerated mustache (seen on most pics of his I found), and the opera of Bizet -- and his philosophy which states "woe to the one who hides the wasteland within". Is it possible that onside and out Nietzsche is part of the wasteland, and his actions may imply that he doesn't care?

He is thinking of lofty things among the mundane. Observing the kinks in nature. At the same time, he is not in great shape. He is dependent on his mother for food. He is poor; he is dying in a room that he has rented.

Wreaths are obviously used in memory of someone who is loved that has departed. Myrtle is a plant that was sacred to the Greek goddess Aphrodite. It was also a symbol of love. Hass indicates through the title, that he loves both the aspects of this hero: the lofty external observations and the wasteland within.

Interestingly, I found a nice article by Brenda Hillman, Bob Hass' wife, picking this poem as one of her favorites of his poems. She says, "The poem suggests that the daily and the heroic are always intertwined."

Also found an interesting cartoon that goes well with the poem:

The Nietzsche Family Circus

"I think I am too sarcastic to believe in myself."

Philosophical poetry

“The Sweetness of Dogs” by Mary Oliver

Also Bulleh Shah On Dancing

Valentine's Day at Mt. Diablo

Lyrics - Love Sweet Love

SHIVPREET SINGH

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