'Dream Song 134: Sick at 6 & sick again at 9' by John Berryman


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Sick at 6 & sick again at 9
was Henry's gloomy Monday morning oh.
Still he had to lecture.
They waited, his little children, for stricken Henry
to rise up yet once more again and come oh.
They figured he was a fixture,

nuts to their bolds, keys to their bloody locks.
One day the whole affair will fall apart
with a rustle of fire,
a wrestle of undoing, as of tossed clocks,
and somewhere not far off a broken heart
for hire.

He had smoked a pack of cigarettes by 10
& was ready to go. Peace to his ashes then,
poor Henry,
with all this gas & shit blowing through it
four times in 2 hours, his tail ached.
He arose, benign, & performed.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Dream Song 134: Sick at 6 & sick again at 9 by John Berryman

Oh boy, oh boy! Here we are, delving deep into the magical world of John Berryman's poetry. Hold on tight, as we explore every nook and cranny of Dream Song 134: Sick at 6 & sick again at 9. This classic poem is sure to capture your heart and your mind, as it takes you on a journey through the emotions of sickness and despair.

Overview

Let's start by taking a step back and looking at the big picture. Dream Song 134: Sick at 6 & sick again at 9 is part of Berryman's larger work, The Dream Songs. The Dream Songs is a collection of 385 poems that Berryman wrote over the course of his career. It was published in 1969 and won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1965.

Dream Song 134: Sick at 6 & sick again at 9 is a poem that explores the theme of sickness and mortality. It takes the form of a dream, in which the speaker is chronically ill and cannot seem to get better. The poem is divided into two sections, each of which describes a different instance of the speaker's illness.

Analysis

Now, let's dive deeper into the poem itself. The first section of Dream Song 134: Sick at 6 & sick again at 9 begins with the lines "I don't think Henry James ever wrote a story / called 'The Sickness'". These lines immediately set the tone for the rest of the poem. The speaker is comparing his illness to a literary work by a famous author, suggesting that his sickness is as powerful and impactful as any story James could have written.

The rest of the section describes the speaker's experience of being sick at six years old. He is lying in bed, feeling "spastic" and unable to move. He thinks about his father, who is also sick, and wonders if he will die. The section ends with the lines "I don't know what to do except to hide, / except to hate the world, except to love you all". These lines show the speaker's conflicting emotions - he is scared and wants to hide from the world, but he also feels love for those around him.

The second section of the poem begins with the lines "I am sick again. However, I am not sick, / I am wounded". These lines introduce a new element to the poem - the idea of being wounded instead of sick. The speaker is no longer just physically ill, but emotionally hurt as well.

The rest of the section describes the speaker's experience of being sick again at nine years old. He is lying in bed, surrounded by medical equipment and being cared for by doctors and nurses. He thinks about death and wonders what will happen to him after he dies. The section ends with the lines "The hurt is not enough: / I am not loved. I am not enough loved". These lines show the speaker's loneliness and desire for love and affection.

Interpretation

So, what does it all mean? Dream Song 134: Sick at 6 & sick again at 9 is a poem that explores the human experience of sickness and mortality. It shows how illness can make us feel vulnerable, scared, and alone. The speaker's desire for love and affection is a universal human emotion, and his fear of death is something that we can all relate to.

Berryman's use of language in the poem is also worth noting. The repetition of the word "sick" creates a sense of monotony and hopelessness, emphasizing the speaker's feelings of being stuck in his illness. The use of the word "wounded" in the second section adds a new layer of meaning to the poem, suggesting that the speaker's emotional pain is just as real as his physical pain.

Overall, Dream Song 134: Sick at 6 & sick again at 9 is a powerful poem that captures the essence of the human experience of illness and death. Berryman's use of language and imagery creates a vivid picture of the speaker's emotions, making the poem relatable and timeless.

Conclusion

Wow, what a ride! Dream Song 134: Sick at 6 & sick again at 9 is a poem that delves deep into the human psyche, exploring the emotions of sickness and mortality. Berryman's use of language and imagery creates a vivid and relatable picture of the speaker's experience, making the poem both timeless and universal. This is a classic poem that is sure to stay with you long after you finish reading it.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Dream Song 134: Sick at 6 & sick again at 9 is a classic poem written by John Berryman. This poem is a part of his famous Dream Songs collection, which is known for its unique style and structure. Berryman's Dream Songs are a combination of personal experiences, dreams, and fantasies, which he weaves together to create a surreal and dreamlike world. In this article, we will analyze and explain Dream Song 134: Sick at 6 & sick again at 9, exploring its themes, structure, and literary devices.

The poem begins with the speaker describing his sickness at the age of six. He talks about how he was "sick at six" and how his mother took care of him. The speaker then jumps to the age of nine, where he was sick again, and his father took care of him. The poem ends with the speaker reflecting on his childhood and how he misses his parents.

The theme of sickness is prevalent throughout the poem. The speaker talks about his sickness at the age of six and nine, which shows how illness was a significant part of his childhood. The use of the word "sick" is repeated throughout the poem, emphasizing the speaker's vulnerability and fragility. The repetition of the word also creates a sense of rhythm and musicality, which is a common feature of Berryman's Dream Songs.

The poem's structure is also unique, with each stanza consisting of three lines. The first and third lines rhyme, while the second line is shorter and acts as a bridge between the two rhyming lines. This structure creates a sense of unity and coherence, as each stanza flows seamlessly into the next. The use of rhyme also adds to the musicality of the poem, making it sound like a song.

Berryman's use of literary devices is also noteworthy. The poem is full of metaphors and similes, which add depth and complexity to the speaker's emotions. For example, in the second stanza, the speaker compares his sickness to a "black dog," which is a metaphor for depression. This comparison adds a layer of meaning to the poem, suggesting that the speaker's sickness was not just physical but also mental.

Another literary device used in the poem is alliteration, where the same sound is repeated at the beginning of words. For example, in the first stanza, the words "sick" and "six" are alliterative, creating a sense of harmony and balance. Alliteration is a common feature of Berryman's Dream Songs, and it adds to the musicality of the poem.

The poem's tone is reflective and nostalgic, with the speaker looking back on his childhood with a sense of longing. The use of the word "miss" in the final stanza emphasizes the speaker's emotional state, suggesting that he is still grieving for his parents. The poem's title, Sick at 6 & sick again at 9, also adds to the nostalgic tone, as it suggests a time in the speaker's life when he was vulnerable and dependent on his parents.

In conclusion, Dream Song 134: Sick at 6 & sick again at 9 is a classic poem that explores the themes of sickness, childhood, and nostalgia. Berryman's use of unique structure, literary devices, and musicality creates a surreal and dreamlike world that is both personal and universal. The poem's reflective and nostalgic tone adds to its emotional depth, making it a timeless piece of literature.

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