Paul+Zimmer

Paul Zimmer



__**Background Information:**__ Paul Zimmer has been through a lot in his life and his poems seem to reflect his realistic outlook on life as he describes the world as well as his ability to have a sense of humor and laugh. Annie Dillard, the American author, comments on Paul Zimmer by saying, “Over the years Zimmer’s poems have consistently been full of good sense and buoyant humor” (Galvin 1). This shows that others appreciate his outlook and personality that can be observed his work. Zimmer was once a soldier and observed various aspects of war, including Atomic Bomb testing in Nevada. He has experienced the cold war that helped him to become the poet that he is today; these events caused more of a dreary tune to his poetry. Today other things to be his inspiration, instead of war and tragedy, he gains inspiration from nature and the world around him and this causes his readers to change instead of hard core readers he has more of a peaceful vibe that has lured a more peaceful fan base to read his work. His readers have changed over the years as the topics and passion changes then the audience changes as well. Either audience, his goal is still visible: to entertain whoever will read his poets. By using humor and modern topics he continues to entertain the audience that he continues to captivate with his unique style of writing.

Works Cited:
- Galvin Brendan. “Crossing to Sunlight Revisited.” //The University of Georgia Press.// The University of Georgia Press. 2013. Web. 15 May 2013. - “Paul Zimmer.” //Poetry Foundation//. Poetry Foundation. 2013. Web 15 May 15, 2013.

**__ Poem One __**
**__Dog Music By Paul Zimmer__**  Amongst dogs are listeners and singers. My big dog sang with me so purely,    puckering her ruffled lips into an O,     beginning with small, swallowing sounds     like Coltrane musing , then rising to power     and resonance, gulping air to continue—    her passion and sense of flawless form—    singing not with me, but for the art of dogs. We joined in many fine songs—"Stardust,"  "Naima," "The Trout," "My Rosary," "Perdido." She was a great master and died young,  leaving me with unrelieved grief,   her talents known to only a few. Now I have a small dog who does not sing,   but listens with discernment, requiring     skill and spirit in my falsetto voice. I sing her name and words of love  //andante, con brio, vivace, adagio.//   Sometimes she is so moved she turns   to place a paw across her snout,   closes her eyes, sighing like a girl   I held and danced with years ago. But I am a pretender to dog music. The true strains rise only from  the rich, red chambers of a canine heart,   these melodies best when the moon is up,   listeners and singers together or  , beyond friendship and anger,   far from any human imposter—   ballads of long nights lifting   to starlight, songs of bones, turds,   conquests, hunts, smells, rankings,   things settled long before our birth.

**__A- Team By Ed Sheeran__**  White lips, pale face   Breathing in snowflakes   Burnt lungs, sour taste   Light's gone, day's end   Struggling to pay rent   Long nights, strange men And they say  She's in the Class A Team   Stuck in her daydream   Been this way since eighteen   But lately her face seems   Slowly sinking, wasting   Crumbling like pastries   And they scream   The worst things in life come free to us   Cause we're just under the upper hand   And go mad for a couple grams   And she don't want to go outside tonight   And in a pipe she flies to the Motherland   Or sells love to another man   It's too cold outside   For angels to fly   Angels to fly Ripped gloves, raincoat  Tried to swim and stay afloat   Dry house, wet clothes   Loose change, bank notes   Weary-eyed, dry throat   Call girl, no phone And they say  She's in the Class A Team   Stuck in her daydream   Been this way since eighteen   But lately her face seems   Slowly sinking, wasting   Crumbling like pastries   And they scream   The worst things in life come free to us   Cause we're just under the upper hand   And go mad for a couple grams   And she don't want to go outside tonight   And in a pipe she flies to the Motherland   Or sells love to another man   It's too cold outside   For angels to fly   An angel will die   Covered in white   Closed eye   And hoping for a better life   This time, we'll fade out tonight   Straight down the line And they say  She's in the Class A Team   Stuck in her daydream   Been this way since eighteen   But lately her face seems   Slowly sinking, wasting   Crumbling like pastries   They scream   The worst things in life come free to us   And we're all under the upper hand   Go mad for a couple grams   And we don't want to go outside tonight   And in a pipe we fly to the Motherland   Or sell love to another man   It's too cold outside   For angels to fly   Angels to fly   To fly, fly   For angels to fly, to fly, to fly   Or angels to die Term: Simile Definition: A figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind Effect: Look in the Poem

Term: Imagery Definition: Effect: Look in the Poem

Term: Commas Definition: A punctuation mark indicating a pause between parts of a sentence. It is also used to separate items in a list and to mark the place Effect: Look in the Poem

__Poem Two__
**__Love__** **__Story__** **__By Paul Zimmer__**   In southern France live two old horses,    High in the foothills, not even French,    But English, retired steeplechasers    Brought across to accept an old age Of ambling together in the Pyrenees. At times they whinny and kick   At one another with impatience, But they have grown to love each other. In time the gelding grows ill And is taken away for treatment. The mare pines, pokes at her food,   Dallies on her rides until the other Comes home. She is in her stall   When the trailer rumbles    Through the gate into the field,    And she sings with impatience Until her door is opened. Then full   Of sound and speed, in need of    Each other, they entwine their necks,    Rub muzzles, bumping flanks To embrace in their own way. Together they prance to   The choicest pasture,    Standing together and apart,    To be glad until They can no longer be glad. **__Love__** **__Story__** **__By Taylor Swift__**  We were young when I first saw you. I close my eyes and the flashback starts:  I'm standing there on a balcony in summer air. See the lights, see the party, the ball gowns. See you make your way through the crowd  And say, "Hello,"   Little did I know...    That you were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles,   And my daddy said, "Stay away from Juliet"   And I was crying on the staircase   Begging you, "Please don't go"   And I said...    Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone. I'll be waiting; all that's left to do is run. You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess,   It's a love story, baby, just say, "Yes". So I sneak out to the garden to see you. We keep quiet 'cause we're dead if they knew  So close your eyes... escape this town for a little while. Oh, oh. 'cause you were Romeo - I was a scarlet letter,  And my daddy said, "Stay away from Juliet"   But you were everything to me,   I was begging you, "Please don't go"   And I said...    Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone. I'll be waiting; all that's left to do is run. You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess. It's a love story, baby, just say, "Yes". Romeo, save me, they're trying to tell me how to feel. This love is difficult but it's real. Don't be afraid, we'll make it out of this mess. It's a love story, baby, just say, "Yes". Oh, oh. I got tired of waiting  Wondering if you were ever coming around. My faith in you was fading  When I met you on the outskirts of town. And I said...   Romeo, save me, I've been feeling so alone. I keep waiting for you but you never come. Is this in my head? I don't know what to think. He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring and said...   Marry me, Juliet, you'll never have to be alone. I love you, and that's all I really know. I talked to your dad ‒ go pick out a white dress   It's a love story, baby, just say, "Yes". Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. 'cause we were both young when I first saw you Term: Theme Definition: An Implicit or recurrent idea within a piece of writing Effect: Can be seen in the poem

Term: Plot Definition: The plan, scheme, or main story of a literary or dramatic work Effect: Can be seen within the poem

Term: Conflict Definition: A fight, battle, or struggle, especially a prolonged struggle; strife Effect: Can be seen within the poem

__ Poem Three __
**__A Final Affection By Paul Zimmer__**  I love the accomplishments of trees, How they try to restrain great storms   And pacify the very worms that eat them. Even their deaths seem to be considered. I fear for trees, loving them so much. I am nervous about each scar on bark , Each leaf that brown s. I want to     Lie in their crotches and sigh , Whisper of sun and rains to come. Sometimes on summer evenings  I step  Out of my house to look at trees Propping darkness up to the silence. When I die I want to slant up   Through those trunks so slowly    I will see each rib of bark, each whorl;    Up through the canopy, the subtle veins    And lobes touching me with final affection;    Then to hover above and look down   last time on the rich upliftings,     The circle that loves the sun and moon , To see at last what held the darkness up.

**__The Rainbow Connection By Kermit the Frog__**  Why are there so many songs about rainbows and what's on the other side? Rainbows are visions, but only illusions, and rainbows have nothing to hide. So we've been told and some choose to believe it. I know they're wrong wait and see. Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection. The lovers, the dreamers and me. Who said that wishes would be heard and answered when wished on the morningstar? Someone thought of that and someone believed it. Look what it's done so far. What's so amazing that keeps us stargazing and what do we think we might see? Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection. The lovers, the dreamers and me. All of us under its spell. We know that it's probably magic. Have you been half asleep and have you heard voices? I've heard them calling my name. Is this the sweet sound that calls the young sailors. The voice might be one and the same. I've heard it too many times to ignore it. It's something that I'm supposed to be. Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection, the lovers, the dreamers and me. Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection, the lovers, the dreamers and me. Term: Theme Definition: An Implicit or recurrent idea within a piece of writing Effect: Look to the poem

Term: Simple Sentences Definition: A sentence having no coordinate or subordinate clauses Effect: Look to the poem

Term: Personification Definition: the attribute of Human Nature or Character to animals inanimate objects, or abstract notions, especially as a rhetorical figure Effect: Look to the Poem