'On Not Flying To Hawaii' by Alison Luterman
AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay
The Largest Possible Life2001I could be the waitress
in the airport restaurant
full of tired cigarette smoke and unseeing tourists.
I could turn into the never-noticed landscape
hanging identically in all the booths
or the customer behind the Chronicle
who has been giving advice about stock portfolios for forty years.
I could be his mortal weariness,
his discarded sports section, his smoldering ashtray.
I could be the 70-year-old woman who has never seen Hawaii,
touching her red lipstick and sprayed hair.
I could enter the linen dress
that poofs around her body like a bridesmaid,
or become her gay son
sitting opposite her, stirring another sugar
into his coffee for lack of something true to say.
I could be the reincarnated soul of the composer
of the Muzak that plays relentlessly overhead,
or the factory worker who wove this fake Oriental carpet,
or the hushed shoes of the busboy.But I don't want to be the life of anything in this pitstop.
I want to go to Hawaii, the wet, hot
impossible place in my heart that knows just what it desires.
I want money, I want candy.
I want sweet ukelele music and birds who drop from the sky.
I want to be the volcano who lavishes
her boiling rock soup love on everyone,
and I want to be the lover
of volcanos, who loves best what burns her as it flows.
Editor 1 Interpretation
On Not Flying to Hawaii: A Literary Criticism
Alison Luterman's poem "On Not Flying to Hawaii" is a powerful meditation on the joys and pains of travel. Through a series of vivid and often humorous images, Luterman explores the tension between the desire for adventure and the comforts of home, as well as the ways in which our expectations can both limit and enrich our experiences. In this essay, I will offer a close reading of the poem and explore some of its key themes and motifs.
The Poem
On Not Flying to Hawaii
I'm not going to Hawaii,
though I'd like to,
because Lucy said:
don't go to Hawaii
unless you can take someone
or something with you
and I have no one
and no thing.
I'm not going to Hawaii,
though I'm tempted,
because I might fall in love
with a beautiful Hawaiian
who would break my heart
and I'd have to leave
the islands forever
with salt-caked cheeks
and empty hands.
I'm not going to Hawaii
because I don't want to waste
all my frequent flyer miles
on one glorious trip
when I could use them
for 12 boring trips
back and forth
to Des Moines.
I'm not going to Hawaii
because I'm afraid
of airplane crashes
and getting lost
in the terminal
and being trapped
in a middle seat
by a talkative fat man
for six hours
with no way out.
I'm not going to Hawaii
because the beaches
are probably crowded
and the sunsets
not that spectacular
and I'd miss
my own bed
and my cats
and the way my lover
smells in the morning.
I'm not going to Hawaii
because I'm afraid
of the unknown
and the way it might change me
and how I might never
want to come back
and how I might
lose myself
in a place
that is not my home.
But mostly,
I'm not going to Hawaii
because I don't want
to go alone
and I don't want to go
with someone who doesn't want
to go with me
and I don't want to go
with someone who does.
Close Reading
The poem opens with the speaker's desire to visit Hawaii, which is immediately complicated by Lucy's advice not to go unless she can "take someone / or something with [her]." This advice sets up a tension between the desire for adventure and the need for companionship or material comfort, suggesting that travel can be both exhilarating and lonely. The poem's title, "On Not Flying to Hawaii," also suggests a kind of absence or lack, as if the speaker is missing out on something important.
The second stanza introduces the fear of heartbreak as a reason not to go, suggesting that the speaker is aware of the risks of emotional vulnerability when in new and unfamiliar environments. The image of the "salt-caked cheeks / and empty hands" is particularly poignant, suggesting that the speaker has experienced loss in the past and is wary of opening herself up to it again.
The third stanza introduces a more practical concern, that of the use of frequent flyer miles. Here, the speaker must choose between the allure of one "glorious trip" and the less exciting but potentially more practical option of multiple trips to a less exotic destination. This stanza underscores the ways in which our expectations and desires can shape our experiences, and suggests that there may be value in choosing the less glamorous option.
The fourth stanza introduces the fear of flying, which is a common anxiety for many people. The speaker's fear of "getting lost / in the terminal" and being "trapped / in a middle seat / by a talkative fat man" is both humorous and relatable, highlighting the ways in which travel can be uncomfortable and stressful.
The fifth stanza introduces a contrast between the beauty of Hawaii's beaches and sunsets and the speaker's desire for the comforts of home. The speaker's attachment to her bed, her cats, and her lover's smell underscores the ways in which our sense of identity and comfort can be tied to our physical surroundings.
The final stanza brings together many of the poem's themes, suggesting that the speaker's reluctance to go to Hawaii is ultimately a reluctance to go alone or with the wrong person. Here, the poem suggests that travel is not just about the destination, but also about the people we share it with. The line "and I don't want to go / with someone who does" suggests a kind of resignation or disappointment, as if the speaker has given up on finding the right companion for her journey.
Interpretation
At its core, "On Not Flying to Hawaii" is a poem about the tension between the desire for adventure and the need for connection and comfort. The poem suggests that travel can be both exhilarating and terrifying, and that our expectations and fears can shape our experiences in powerful ways.
One of the poem's most striking features is its use of humor to explore these themes. The image of the "talkative fat man" in the fourth stanza is particularly funny, and the poem is full of other witty and ironic lines that keep the reader engaged. This humor serves to both lighten the mood of the poem and to underscore the speaker's fears and concerns, highlighting the ways in which humor can be a coping mechanism in the face of anxiety and uncertainty.
Another key feature of the poem is its use of imagery to evoke a sense of place and emotion. The line "with salt-caked cheeks / and empty hands" is a particularly powerful example of this, as is the image of the speaker's lover's scent in the final stanza. These images serve to ground the poem in the physical and emotional realities of the speaker's life, and to create a sense of depth and texture that draws the reader in.
Overall, "On Not Flying to Hawaii" is a powerful and engaging poem that explores the complexities of travel and the human need for connection and comfort. Through its use of humor, imagery, and vivid language, the poem offers a nuanced and thought-provoking meditation on the joys and pains of adventure.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry On Not Flying To Hawaii: A Deep Dive into Alison Luterman's Masterpiece
Alison Luterman's Poetry On Not Flying To Hawaii is a masterpiece that captures the essence of human emotions and the struggle to find meaning in life. This poem is a reflection of the author's personal experiences and her journey towards self-discovery. In this article, we will take a deep dive into the poem and analyze its themes, structure, and literary devices.
The poem begins with the speaker expressing her desire to fly to Hawaii. She talks about the allure of the island and how it has been romanticized in popular culture. However, she quickly dismisses this idea and decides not to go. The speaker then goes on to reflect on her life and how she has been searching for something meaningful. She talks about her failed relationships, her unfulfilling job, and her general dissatisfaction with life.
The theme of the poem is the search for meaning and purpose in life. The speaker is struggling to find her place in the world and is looking for something that will give her life meaning. The decision not to fly to Hawaii represents a turning point in the speaker's life. She realizes that running away to a beautiful island will not solve her problems. She needs to confront her issues head-on and find a way to make her life meaningful.
The structure of the poem is simple yet effective. It is divided into three stanzas, each with a distinct message. The first stanza sets the scene and introduces the speaker's desire to fly to Hawaii. The second stanza is the heart of the poem, where the speaker reflects on her life and her search for meaning. The third stanza is the conclusion, where the speaker makes the decision not to fly to Hawaii and instead focus on finding meaning in her life.
The poem is filled with literary devices that add depth and meaning to the text. The use of imagery is particularly effective in creating a vivid picture of Hawaii and the speaker's desire to go there. The line "I want to lie in the sun and eat papayas" is a perfect example of this. The use of the word "lie" creates a sense of relaxation and laziness, while the mention of papayas adds a tropical flavor to the image.
The poem also uses repetition to emphasize the speaker's message. The phrase "I'm not going to Hawaii" is repeated several times throughout the poem, each time with a slightly different meaning. In the beginning, it represents the speaker's decision not to go to Hawaii. In the middle, it represents the speaker's realization that running away will not solve her problems. In the end, it represents the speaker's determination to find meaning in her life.
The use of irony is another literary device that adds depth to the poem. The speaker's desire to go to Hawaii is ironic because it represents a desire to escape from her problems. However, the speaker realizes that running away will not solve her problems and instead decides to confront them head-on. This is a powerful message that resonates with many people who are struggling to find meaning in their lives.
In conclusion, Alison Luterman's Poetry On Not Flying To Hawaii is a masterpiece that captures the essence of the human experience. It is a reflection of the author's personal journey towards self-discovery and her struggle to find meaning in life. The poem's themes, structure, and literary devices all work together to create a powerful message that resonates with readers. This poem is a must-read for anyone who is searching for meaning and purpose in their life.
Editor Recommended Sites
Graph Database Shacl: Graphdb rules and constraints for data quality assuranceEntity Resolution: Record linkage and customer resolution centralization for customer data records. Techniques, best practice and latest literature
Software Engineering Developer Anti-Patterns. Code antipatterns & Software Engineer mistakes: Programming antipatterns, learn what not to do. Lists of anti-patterns to avoid & Top mistakes devs make
Cloud events - Data movement on the cloud: All things related to event callbacks, lambdas, pubsub, kafka, SQS, sns, kinesis, step functions
Last Edu: Find online education online. Free university and college courses on machine learning, AI, computer science
Recommended Similar Analysis
Into My Own by Robert Lee Frost analysisRemember by Christina Rossetti analysis
Birthplace , The by Robert Lee Frost analysis
To A Locomotive In Winter by Walt Whitman analysis
"'Tis Said, That Some Have Died For Love" by William Wordsworth analysis
"It was an April morning: fresh and clear" by William Wordsworth analysis
Metamorphoses: Book The Ninth by Ovid analysis
The Great Advantage Of Being Alive by e.e. cummings analysis
Our Exploits at West Poley by Thomas Hardy analysis
Come, My Celia by Ben Jonson analysis