Living in sin

“ For the Record”: The poem describes a declaration of innocence in regards to nature. Nature did not volunteer to be a part of man’s doings or undoing. Nature though a participant was not actively making decisions on how to treat or not treat humanity. The speaker is referencing the “ record” of the innocence of nature vs. humanity.
#1 “ History”: The title history means documented evidence through an individual’s eyes, the history that was experienced and explained by that individual and its relevance to the times. “ His-story” is told from His point of view. “ Her-story is told from her point of view. How he or she envisions life should be not as it is.
#2 “ History”: The emphasis on the two lines is important to be noted and taken into great consideration in regard to the entire content of the poem. The importance here is that though history can be recorded it’s the witness of history the experienced party of history that can actually define history. The implications here are history will be told whether or not personally experienced.
#1 “ Why I Refused the National Medal for the Arts”: Rich did not accept the award because she could not be honored by a government that dishonored so many of its people through poverty, marginalizing, etc.
#2 “ Why I Refused the National Medal for the Arts”: Rich’s stand is not just on paper in the art form but in reality through life form. Her stance does not make her more faithful to her art. Her stance proves she is faithful to her art.
#1 “ The Lake Isle of Innisfree”: The speaker vows to go to Innisfree to build a cabin and have peace. The speaker’s life is obviously free of peace and very busy. The life he wishes is peaceful and nature bound.
#2 “ The Lake Isle of Innisfree”: A return of the past is indicated in living alone. The speaker searching for peace and wanting to escape current situations talked of leaving alone so therefore he must have been alone.
#1 “ Easter 1916”: Yes the poem does provide an answer to the question of needless death. Through death, a dream was revealed.
#2 “ Easter 1916”: The speaker’s feelings are of sorrow. They sacrificed but can’t live the benefits of the sacrifice. Their dream lives on in their stead. The result of sacrifice according to the speaker should not be one of memory but one of eternal change.
#3 “ Easter 1916”: The tragedy of sacrifice which ended in death was a “ tragedy”. The sacrifice yielded a new dream of faith in England that now existed because of the sacrifice is the “ beauty”.
#4 “ Easter 1916”: The speaker seems to be referring to the condition of an individual’s hearts in regard to the situation they were experiencing. A hardened heart (stone) troubles the walks of life (living stream).
#1 “ The Second Coming”: The vision that the world needs help because leadership in some places will not succeed and innocent blood will be and has been spilled.
#2 “ The Second Coming”: The vision of Christ’s birth is envisioned. The birth will bring stability and peace in people’s hearts, hoping to change a community and eventually a nation.
#1 “ Sailing to Byzantium”: The poem poses the question of life, stages, from young to old and eventually death, not thoroughly dead but a passing from one life to another. The passing on to eternal life, emphasizing there is no room on earth for old men so they must pass on. This passing on is something to look forward to.