The chapter The Shadow teaches us about our ego and our shadow. Our ego is what we present to the world. It has all of our traits hidden that we don’t like, it is our daily self. Our shadow is what we tend to reject and deny, it is our true self. Humans tend to ignore their shadow and when we come into contact with it it is when the best form of poetry comes to life. When we are in our ego one thinks “what will I write next?”, in return, making us conscious of what we will write through poetry.
To access this shadow through poetry you want to explore the explicit. This takes courage because your denying self does not want to deal with those things. But, there seems to be a great feeling of relief when one does. You will start to train yourself to see the so-called “bad’ and become content with it.
I enjoyed reading the poem From The Nursery, as the writer states ‘we grow uncomfortable reading” on page 61 it is exactly how we feel.
“The Shadow” Chapter Response
I thought the metaphor of “the shadow” was interesting–the dark and unwanted parts of us that society taught us to keep locked away. The book shares that this shadow has a way of affecting our lives and culture if it’s not dealt with, and to me it seemed like Addonizio and Laux were pointing at poetry as being the therapist. I liked this analogy because I deal with my own personal shadow through poetry (and the biweekly counseling meetings). For me, digging into the shadow and mining it for poetry is not difficult as the book says it can be; the dark parts of my life is what feeds my poetry and keeps it alive. Maybe that is because the dark parts, or the unacceptable parts, of me that society wants repressed are the biggest emotions I carry with me…or maybe it’s because I’ve always been a huge fan of Tim Burton and Edgar Allan Poe. Either way, Addonizio and Laux highlight that these feelings and their use not only create a meaningful representation of the human experience, but also show that the brilliance of the work exists “in spite of suffering, not because of it.” And that, to me, is very comforting. It’s a reassurance that those dark feelings inside of us are not shameful, but understood, seen, and heard.
The dark parts of my life are not always grown inside of me, but are pieces of others’ shadows I’ve picked up along the way. I see them in the person at the bus stop talking to no one, in the single mother at the grocery store counting change, in the friend who smiles too wide to cover what hurts, in the news story that flashes across the screen and disappears without resolution. These shadows linger, asking to be witnessed, and I feel them pressing into my own work.
When Addonizio and Laux explain that in your writing integrity matters–both in vision and in language–it struck me deeply. It reminded me that to write with honesty is not only to speak for myself, but also to stay true to those voices I’ve absorbed along the way. Poetry isn’t just about creating beauty, it’s about refusing to lie, refusing to soften what demands to be seen. That realization leaves me wondering, if we all turned toward our shadows with integrity, both in art and in life, what kind of world might we begin to build?
I found the concept of the shadow both intersting and curious because I had never heard of it before. When I’m writing I more often than not find myself grappling with the “difficulty of going deeper”. Not because I don’t know what I want to convey but because the deeper, uglier things are harder to put into words. I often get distracted by wanting to make my poems make sense to everyone, make them perfect. This chapter has encouraged me to not censor myself and to prioritize integrity in my writing by going into that “forbidden terrioty” in my head, facing my thoughts and allowing myself to explore them.
I found this chapter relatable as I come to the end of my college experience. I’ve grown from a naive first-year student to who I am now. The article discusses how the self is both dark and light, good and bad, they lie unconscious and are formed when we are younger. This concept developing at a young age makes me think about imposed bias from caregivers and how the people we’re surrounded by affect our development. For example, the people I’ve bound myself to in college caused me to ‘stuff my bag’. This phrase is described as a long metaphorical bag that we drag behind us over time as we discover what is undesirable within us from others. I find this concept relatable as some of my peers chose a different path than I. At first, it’s tempting to fit in, comply with the good or evil being pulled to the front but there’s a risk of being dominated by the shadow. I think this means losing yourself creatively and as an independent. Something that stood out to me was the reality that poetry can’t always be light or simple, ‘Poets can’t afford to be nice’. To dig deep from a creative perspective is to get your hands dirty, face the duality of being human, to take the positive and the negative energy and release that, despite being easier said than done. I appreciated the statement of coming to terms with your own art and culture, meaning, we should embrace who we are unapologetically, without fear of judgment or ‘bag-stuffing’. To me, accepting the good and bad means maintaining balance and staying regulated. Opening up to poetry or any creative outlet in a personal way takes courage and will help in self expression. I think it’s relatable that many poets have written about their self destructive urges, it shows inspiration can be dark, that humans are imperfect, and so are their creations. Integrating and accepting the shadow-self means training yourself to see the reality of being human, from a creative perspective or not.
I think for me, something that is interesting and curious about this chapter is the thought of our own shadow being a symbol of depression or character identity. The author of this chapter makes a connection between many early American authors and the struggling of depression and anxiety feelings, and for me, a mere shadow representing something holding us back mentally is fascinating. This chapter uses the idea of the shadow to make a connection between depression and poetry, and I never thought of it that way. Furthermore, on the second page of the chapter, a poem called “From the Nursery” is written out, I believe however it is just the first nine verses. This poem is so devastating to read, and it is not even the full poem. The poem starts out saying that when the author was first born, someone or something laid on top of them and completely flipped their life upside down. From that moment on, the author looked at things that typically make you feel good inside as things that made them upset. The idea of depression is evident in the melancholy tone of the poem, and it is hard to watch. There was a darker implication that crossed my mind when I read the first half of the poem as well, so in a sense, melancholy pieces do have multiple reasonings and interpretations. Finally, the author of the chapter expressed that towards the end of the actual poem, it almost felt like a full circle moment, like the author was learning to train the shadow and control it to battle their inner dark thoughts. It is something every author has eventually had to do, and the chapter has a very interesting way of expressing these facts.
I’m curious about the reading’s thought that depression or addiction doesn’t make someone a better poet. Of course there is no way to compare poetry. But, I would argue with the reading that experiences such as struggles, accomplishments, love, grief, etc, can make a poet better. It provides them with the ability to connect with others through shared experiences. It helps people feel not so alone. It can give those a voice who might not be able to speak up. Besides this, it also helps connect people in a way that it makes them feel what the writer is feeling. A good poet leaves an impression.
Something I found helpful is that a good poet must be human. I couldn’t agree more. With AI coming into this generation, this world lacks humanity. The world is getting lazy and forgetting what true passion is. They forget that you’re supposed to struggle. No one and nothing is perfect. We must fail to improve. It takes blood, sweat, and tears to accomplish something like writing a poem. And along with that comes patience.
What I found really interesting was the entirety of the first page. Carl Jung, a psychologist, has the idea that the world consists of both good and evil. While the hidden part of our identities is called our shadow self. When we are young, our personal shadow begins to form in the unconscious mind. We take into consideration what others around us think and feel. Unfortunately, the majority of people will look to see what is most acceptable in the world today. This includes behaviors, language, clothing, music, the list goes on. We seek approval and attention from others. The part of our identity that we don’t see fit becomes hidden in the shadows. It’s important to stay true to who you are. Not to forget that hidden identity. Denying its existence can cause problems within yourself.
I think that this chapter raises some important points about the nature of creative writing. Most notably, I think that the key push of this chapter is to encourage aspiring writers to not shy away from writing things that might be uncomfortable in terms of content. As Addonizio states himself, it’s often that writers tend to avoid writing about things that may be uncomfortable to confront, and as such droves of poetry have been written that seem more akin to odes and praises of beauty and all the good things in life. Addonizio challenges this and invites the reader to consider that poetry which writes about things that may be uncomfortable, painful, or deeply personal are just as valid as poems that are written about goodness and good things.
I think this is something that a lot of writers tend to get stuck with, and that’s very interesting to me. I think there’s usually a push, or a pressure, for a writer to stick to things that feel familiar and comfortable. Especially in an academic setting, I’ve felt often that it’s better to write things that are easily palatable instead of writing something that may be very deeply personal to myself. In that way, I’ve often been out of touch with the shadow that Jules describes. This is something that I’ve had to unlearn, and I think that I’ve made the most progress in this endeavor specifically through taking creative writing classes which challenge me to write about things that are deeply private such as childhood experiences or an exploration of personal psyche.
I found it interesting as well in the chapter when the author described some of the greatest poets of modern history, and made mention of how they were great artists in spite of their struggles, and not because of their struggles. There does seem to be a trend of artists who often do struggle in order for their works to reach acclaim, Robert Frost being an example, who struggled enormously throughout his life even though he did celebrate the success of his work as a poet during his lifetime. I wonder why this is, and where this trend tends to come from. From a philosophical standpoint, I question as to whether knowing that an artist struggled in their life enhances their work to an art critic, and the works become more popular because of it. In this regard, it is somewhat of a chicken and egg problem.
I thought this chapter was very good. It was quite brief, but I feel like it didn’t need to be any longer. For starters, the poem about the kitten made me very uncomfortable. I really don’t vibe with animal cruelty as an animal behavior major so it just pissed me off. Throw your kid at the wall, not a kitten, damn. But in all seriousness, I think it is very important for artists to be able to work with their shadow and not against it. Shadows are always portrayed as evil and dark, but I think that could be interpreted to be because we are always so fearful and neglectful of them. I agree with the reading that we need to embrace our shadows.
I also thought the part about poets needing to see things was very interesting. I personally always try to take in my surroundings and notice everything I can. I like to observe people as that is when you see who they truly are. I can’t imagine going through life and not observing everything you can about your surroundings. Observing isn’t just glancing around the room and looking at whatever. It is perceiving and registering what is going on around you. Everything from how many people are in the room to what color the chairs are. It is all important.
The last thing I wanted to talk about from this reading was how they seemed to imply that writing about your shadow can’t be beautiful. I think those are some of the most beautiful poems. Being beautiful doesn’t make a poem less gritty and dark, it makes it stand out and makes people remember it. I personally feel like the most powerful poems I have read were about dark subjects, but were eloquent and beautiful in a way that made me remember them.
I really enjoyed this chapter. It allowed me to understand the unconscious part of writing that is hidden in “a shadow”. I thought it was interesting how Jung explained it, calling it the “hidden self” or “shadow self”. He wants readers to know that the shadow is talking about the repressed aspects of ourselves and emotions that we consider wrong, like anger and jealousy. Jung wants poets like myself to bring these kinds of feelings into the light instead of leaving them out of poetry. I thought it was helpful how this chapter allows me to find a different way to transform my emotions into art. I understand that it is not fixing the problem of the “shadow” but is actually making room for it, fitting it in like a missing puzzle piece. It gains its own shape and definition when implemented into a poem. One of the poems I thought was interesting is Kenyon’s poem about depression. It was interesting to me how she uses her sadness as a way to express herself in an uncomfortable way. She is not afraid to show her raw emotion and put it on a page. What made me curious was even though the poems in this chapter made me a little uncomfortable, it left me wanting to read more. I believe that because the poems in this chapter admit weakness, pain, and sadness, it deeply resonates with me because it almost feels true, like I am the one enduring the pain. Even though it feels like this chapter is about wallowing in your own negative emotions, I believe it is more about finding the truth within yourself and applying it to your own art. It is giving a voice to something that has been bottled up inside, waiting to be let out. I definitely want to try this out one day in one of my own poems.
Reading “The Shadow” from The Poet’s Companion was very interesting to me. The concept of having an “ego” and a “shadow” is something I’ve never really thought about before. It made me think about which version of myself I resonate more with when writing poetry. The thing I found most interesting about this chapter was how they explained the shadow to be more than just something dark or negative; they explained it as a crucial component of both creativity and honesty in poetry. Something I found helpful in this chapter was how it encouraged us to tap into the shadow and embrace the feelings found within it. I like how it made me think of how I can make poetry with a deeper meaning if I allow myself to acknowledge the shadow and make something beautiful out of it. This chapter also made me curious as to whether there are parts of myself, my shadow, that I hide away or avoid, and if these hidden things would be beneficial for my writing. Overall, the chapter made me realize that shadows aren’t all about darkness; they’re about the entire human experience, and that embracing them can lead to more honest, meaningful poetry.
This chapter helped me understand the difference between and pseudo poem and a real poem. I didn’t know there was a difference between the two mainly because I didn’t know there was a thing called a pseudo poem. What was interesting about this chapter was that the “shadow” is seen as this negative thing when talking about it from a psychological stand point but can be used to make some powerful poems that people whether specific or generalized can relate too. I think that all poems should reach into the “shadow” part but not so much where the message is lost.
JOURNAL #2
1. What is interesting, helpful, curious about the chapter?
a. The chapter gets at a sentiment that I feel is necessary for creating something truly worthwhile: the creation of art for the self. In my own creative endeavors, the thing I strive for above all else is that I want to like what I’ve made. What’s the point of baking a cake if you wouldn’t eat a slice? A piece of the author is present in every work no matter the author’s intention. When you create something you wouldn’t like, there is a separation present that can be felt by the audience in a way that negatively impacts the work. My greater curiosity that kind of cuts to the core of my issues with writing is the question of: the willingness to explore the shadow is there, but what if you don’t have the words?
I found the idea that everyone is hiding their own unwanted and unacceptable parts very interesting. The concept of digging deep and channeling these negative traits into our art is something that I think I need to try with my poetry. I tend to not write about personal emotions or events so I have never channeled my “shadow” in my work. After reading this, I think the next time I write I will try to figure out what that part of me is, what it means, and what I want to use it to say.
Later in the passage, it mentions the common misbelief that the struggles and pain of a writer are what makes their work better. I think that this is always something I have always thought to be true in a way, and I think that disinfluenced me from making my poetry personal. I thought that maybe my life wasn’t hard enough to warrant writing about, but after reading this passage I can now see that that isn’t true. Everybody has their own difficulties and dark parts and nobodies are greater and more worthy of being turned into art than another’s.
The concepts discussed in this passage really connected with me and I think that implementing some of the ideas into my own writing process might help me with my poetry. I’d like to start writing more poems that are about me and my life and emotions, and I think following the advice in this passage is a good way to start that. I’d like to try to connect with my own “shadow” and start using it rather than ignoring it.
I found it very helpful that this chapter uses examples of poems to explain its concepts. Not only that, but the chapter explains exactly how the poem accomplishes what it’s trying to teach readers. I found the last poem about the mother to be both intriguing and deeply disturbing. Vivid images flashed through my mind as I read it. I also slightly disagree with the idea of beauty. The chapter argues that sometimes beautiful poetry is not good enough, one must tap into deeper, darker topics once in a while. I personally think this idea of the shadow is beautiful. I think even dark themes hold inherent beauty as well as lighter, pretty poems. The concept of the shadow is something I am familiar with and pride myself with being able to tap into it if needed.
14 thoughts on “JOURNAL # 2”
The chapter The Shadow teaches us about our ego and our shadow. Our ego is what we present to the world. It has all of our traits hidden that we don’t like, it is our daily self. Our shadow is what we tend to reject and deny, it is our true self. Humans tend to ignore their shadow and when we come into contact with it it is when the best form of poetry comes to life. When we are in our ego one thinks “what will I write next?”, in return, making us conscious of what we will write through poetry.
To access this shadow through poetry you want to explore the explicit. This takes courage because your denying self does not want to deal with those things. But, there seems to be a great feeling of relief when one does. You will start to train yourself to see the so-called “bad’ and become content with it.
I enjoyed reading the poem From The Nursery, as the writer states ‘we grow uncomfortable reading” on page 61 it is exactly how we feel.
“The Shadow” Chapter Response
I thought the metaphor of “the shadow” was interesting–the dark and unwanted parts of us that society taught us to keep locked away. The book shares that this shadow has a way of affecting our lives and culture if it’s not dealt with, and to me it seemed like Addonizio and Laux were pointing at poetry as being the therapist. I liked this analogy because I deal with my own personal shadow through poetry (and the biweekly counseling meetings). For me, digging into the shadow and mining it for poetry is not difficult as the book says it can be; the dark parts of my life is what feeds my poetry and keeps it alive. Maybe that is because the dark parts, or the unacceptable parts, of me that society wants repressed are the biggest emotions I carry with me…or maybe it’s because I’ve always been a huge fan of Tim Burton and Edgar Allan Poe. Either way, Addonizio and Laux highlight that these feelings and their use not only create a meaningful representation of the human experience, but also show that the brilliance of the work exists “in spite of suffering, not because of it.” And that, to me, is very comforting. It’s a reassurance that those dark feelings inside of us are not shameful, but understood, seen, and heard.
The dark parts of my life are not always grown inside of me, but are pieces of others’ shadows I’ve picked up along the way. I see them in the person at the bus stop talking to no one, in the single mother at the grocery store counting change, in the friend who smiles too wide to cover what hurts, in the news story that flashes across the screen and disappears without resolution. These shadows linger, asking to be witnessed, and I feel them pressing into my own work.
When Addonizio and Laux explain that in your writing integrity matters–both in vision and in language–it struck me deeply. It reminded me that to write with honesty is not only to speak for myself, but also to stay true to those voices I’ve absorbed along the way. Poetry isn’t just about creating beauty, it’s about refusing to lie, refusing to soften what demands to be seen. That realization leaves me wondering, if we all turned toward our shadows with integrity, both in art and in life, what kind of world might we begin to build?
I found the concept of the shadow both intersting and curious because I had never heard of it before. When I’m writing I more often than not find myself grappling with the “difficulty of going deeper”. Not because I don’t know what I want to convey but because the deeper, uglier things are harder to put into words. I often get distracted by wanting to make my poems make sense to everyone, make them perfect. This chapter has encouraged me to not censor myself and to prioritize integrity in my writing by going into that “forbidden terrioty” in my head, facing my thoughts and allowing myself to explore them.
I found this chapter relatable as I come to the end of my college experience. I’ve grown from a naive first-year student to who I am now. The article discusses how the self is both dark and light, good and bad, they lie unconscious and are formed when we are younger. This concept developing at a young age makes me think about imposed bias from caregivers and how the people we’re surrounded by affect our development. For example, the people I’ve bound myself to in college caused me to ‘stuff my bag’. This phrase is described as a long metaphorical bag that we drag behind us over time as we discover what is undesirable within us from others. I find this concept relatable as some of my peers chose a different path than I. At first, it’s tempting to fit in, comply with the good or evil being pulled to the front but there’s a risk of being dominated by the shadow. I think this means losing yourself creatively and as an independent. Something that stood out to me was the reality that poetry can’t always be light or simple, ‘Poets can’t afford to be nice’. To dig deep from a creative perspective is to get your hands dirty, face the duality of being human, to take the positive and the negative energy and release that, despite being easier said than done. I appreciated the statement of coming to terms with your own art and culture, meaning, we should embrace who we are unapologetically, without fear of judgment or ‘bag-stuffing’. To me, accepting the good and bad means maintaining balance and staying regulated. Opening up to poetry or any creative outlet in a personal way takes courage and will help in self expression. I think it’s relatable that many poets have written about their self destructive urges, it shows inspiration can be dark, that humans are imperfect, and so are their creations. Integrating and accepting the shadow-self means training yourself to see the reality of being human, from a creative perspective or not.
I think for me, something that is interesting and curious about this chapter is the thought of our own shadow being a symbol of depression or character identity. The author of this chapter makes a connection between many early American authors and the struggling of depression and anxiety feelings, and for me, a mere shadow representing something holding us back mentally is fascinating. This chapter uses the idea of the shadow to make a connection between depression and poetry, and I never thought of it that way. Furthermore, on the second page of the chapter, a poem called “From the Nursery” is written out, I believe however it is just the first nine verses. This poem is so devastating to read, and it is not even the full poem. The poem starts out saying that when the author was first born, someone or something laid on top of them and completely flipped their life upside down. From that moment on, the author looked at things that typically make you feel good inside as things that made them upset. The idea of depression is evident in the melancholy tone of the poem, and it is hard to watch. There was a darker implication that crossed my mind when I read the first half of the poem as well, so in a sense, melancholy pieces do have multiple reasonings and interpretations. Finally, the author of the chapter expressed that towards the end of the actual poem, it almost felt like a full circle moment, like the author was learning to train the shadow and control it to battle their inner dark thoughts. It is something every author has eventually had to do, and the chapter has a very interesting way of expressing these facts.
I’m curious about the reading’s thought that depression or addiction doesn’t make someone a better poet. Of course there is no way to compare poetry. But, I would argue with the reading that experiences such as struggles, accomplishments, love, grief, etc, can make a poet better. It provides them with the ability to connect with others through shared experiences. It helps people feel not so alone. It can give those a voice who might not be able to speak up. Besides this, it also helps connect people in a way that it makes them feel what the writer is feeling. A good poet leaves an impression.
Something I found helpful is that a good poet must be human. I couldn’t agree more. With AI coming into this generation, this world lacks humanity. The world is getting lazy and forgetting what true passion is. They forget that you’re supposed to struggle. No one and nothing is perfect. We must fail to improve. It takes blood, sweat, and tears to accomplish something like writing a poem. And along with that comes patience.
What I found really interesting was the entirety of the first page. Carl Jung, a psychologist, has the idea that the world consists of both good and evil. While the hidden part of our identities is called our shadow self. When we are young, our personal shadow begins to form in the unconscious mind. We take into consideration what others around us think and feel. Unfortunately, the majority of people will look to see what is most acceptable in the world today. This includes behaviors, language, clothing, music, the list goes on. We seek approval and attention from others. The part of our identity that we don’t see fit becomes hidden in the shadows. It’s important to stay true to who you are. Not to forget that hidden identity. Denying its existence can cause problems within yourself.
I think that this chapter raises some important points about the nature of creative writing. Most notably, I think that the key push of this chapter is to encourage aspiring writers to not shy away from writing things that might be uncomfortable in terms of content. As Addonizio states himself, it’s often that writers tend to avoid writing about things that may be uncomfortable to confront, and as such droves of poetry have been written that seem more akin to odes and praises of beauty and all the good things in life. Addonizio challenges this and invites the reader to consider that poetry which writes about things that may be uncomfortable, painful, or deeply personal are just as valid as poems that are written about goodness and good things.
I think this is something that a lot of writers tend to get stuck with, and that’s very interesting to me. I think there’s usually a push, or a pressure, for a writer to stick to things that feel familiar and comfortable. Especially in an academic setting, I’ve felt often that it’s better to write things that are easily palatable instead of writing something that may be very deeply personal to myself. In that way, I’ve often been out of touch with the shadow that Jules describes. This is something that I’ve had to unlearn, and I think that I’ve made the most progress in this endeavor specifically through taking creative writing classes which challenge me to write about things that are deeply private such as childhood experiences or an exploration of personal psyche.
I found it interesting as well in the chapter when the author described some of the greatest poets of modern history, and made mention of how they were great artists in spite of their struggles, and not because of their struggles. There does seem to be a trend of artists who often do struggle in order for their works to reach acclaim, Robert Frost being an example, who struggled enormously throughout his life even though he did celebrate the success of his work as a poet during his lifetime. I wonder why this is, and where this trend tends to come from. From a philosophical standpoint, I question as to whether knowing that an artist struggled in their life enhances their work to an art critic, and the works become more popular because of it. In this regard, it is somewhat of a chicken and egg problem.
I thought this chapter was very good. It was quite brief, but I feel like it didn’t need to be any longer. For starters, the poem about the kitten made me very uncomfortable. I really don’t vibe with animal cruelty as an animal behavior major so it just pissed me off. Throw your kid at the wall, not a kitten, damn. But in all seriousness, I think it is very important for artists to be able to work with their shadow and not against it. Shadows are always portrayed as evil and dark, but I think that could be interpreted to be because we are always so fearful and neglectful of them. I agree with the reading that we need to embrace our shadows.
I also thought the part about poets needing to see things was very interesting. I personally always try to take in my surroundings and notice everything I can. I like to observe people as that is when you see who they truly are. I can’t imagine going through life and not observing everything you can about your surroundings. Observing isn’t just glancing around the room and looking at whatever. It is perceiving and registering what is going on around you. Everything from how many people are in the room to what color the chairs are. It is all important.
The last thing I wanted to talk about from this reading was how they seemed to imply that writing about your shadow can’t be beautiful. I think those are some of the most beautiful poems. Being beautiful doesn’t make a poem less gritty and dark, it makes it stand out and makes people remember it. I personally feel like the most powerful poems I have read were about dark subjects, but were eloquent and beautiful in a way that made me remember them.
I really enjoyed this chapter. It allowed me to understand the unconscious part of writing that is hidden in “a shadow”. I thought it was interesting how Jung explained it, calling it the “hidden self” or “shadow self”. He wants readers to know that the shadow is talking about the repressed aspects of ourselves and emotions that we consider wrong, like anger and jealousy. Jung wants poets like myself to bring these kinds of feelings into the light instead of leaving them out of poetry. I thought it was helpful how this chapter allows me to find a different way to transform my emotions into art. I understand that it is not fixing the problem of the “shadow” but is actually making room for it, fitting it in like a missing puzzle piece. It gains its own shape and definition when implemented into a poem. One of the poems I thought was interesting is Kenyon’s poem about depression. It was interesting to me how she uses her sadness as a way to express herself in an uncomfortable way. She is not afraid to show her raw emotion and put it on a page. What made me curious was even though the poems in this chapter made me a little uncomfortable, it left me wanting to read more. I believe that because the poems in this chapter admit weakness, pain, and sadness, it deeply resonates with me because it almost feels true, like I am the one enduring the pain. Even though it feels like this chapter is about wallowing in your own negative emotions, I believe it is more about finding the truth within yourself and applying it to your own art. It is giving a voice to something that has been bottled up inside, waiting to be let out. I definitely want to try this out one day in one of my own poems.
Mackenzie Schors
WRT 211
Jesse Miller
Journal #2
Reading “The Shadow” from The Poet’s Companion was very interesting to me. The concept of having an “ego” and a “shadow” is something I’ve never really thought about before. It made me think about which version of myself I resonate more with when writing poetry. The thing I found most interesting about this chapter was how they explained the shadow to be more than just something dark or negative; they explained it as a crucial component of both creativity and honesty in poetry. Something I found helpful in this chapter was how it encouraged us to tap into the shadow and embrace the feelings found within it. I like how it made me think of how I can make poetry with a deeper meaning if I allow myself to acknowledge the shadow and make something beautiful out of it. This chapter also made me curious as to whether there are parts of myself, my shadow, that I hide away or avoid, and if these hidden things would be beneficial for my writing. Overall, the chapter made me realize that shadows aren’t all about darkness; they’re about the entire human experience, and that embracing them can lead to more honest, meaningful poetry.
This chapter helped me understand the difference between and pseudo poem and a real poem. I didn’t know there was a difference between the two mainly because I didn’t know there was a thing called a pseudo poem. What was interesting about this chapter was that the “shadow” is seen as this negative thing when talking about it from a psychological stand point but can be used to make some powerful poems that people whether specific or generalized can relate too. I think that all poems should reach into the “shadow” part but not so much where the message is lost.
JOURNAL #2
1. What is interesting, helpful, curious about the chapter?
a. The chapter gets at a sentiment that I feel is necessary for creating something truly worthwhile: the creation of art for the self. In my own creative endeavors, the thing I strive for above all else is that I want to like what I’ve made. What’s the point of baking a cake if you wouldn’t eat a slice? A piece of the author is present in every work no matter the author’s intention. When you create something you wouldn’t like, there is a separation present that can be felt by the audience in a way that negatively impacts the work. My greater curiosity that kind of cuts to the core of my issues with writing is the question of: the willingness to explore the shadow is there, but what if you don’t have the words?
I found the idea that everyone is hiding their own unwanted and unacceptable parts very interesting. The concept of digging deep and channeling these negative traits into our art is something that I think I need to try with my poetry. I tend to not write about personal emotions or events so I have never channeled my “shadow” in my work. After reading this, I think the next time I write I will try to figure out what that part of me is, what it means, and what I want to use it to say.
Later in the passage, it mentions the common misbelief that the struggles and pain of a writer are what makes their work better. I think that this is always something I have always thought to be true in a way, and I think that disinfluenced me from making my poetry personal. I thought that maybe my life wasn’t hard enough to warrant writing about, but after reading this passage I can now see that that isn’t true. Everybody has their own difficulties and dark parts and nobodies are greater and more worthy of being turned into art than another’s.
The concepts discussed in this passage really connected with me and I think that implementing some of the ideas into my own writing process might help me with my poetry. I’d like to start writing more poems that are about me and my life and emotions, and I think following the advice in this passage is a good way to start that. I’d like to try to connect with my own “shadow” and start using it rather than ignoring it.
I found it very helpful that this chapter uses examples of poems to explain its concepts. Not only that, but the chapter explains exactly how the poem accomplishes what it’s trying to teach readers. I found the last poem about the mother to be both intriguing and deeply disturbing. Vivid images flashed through my mind as I read it. I also slightly disagree with the idea of beauty. The chapter argues that sometimes beautiful poetry is not good enough, one must tap into deeper, darker topics once in a while. I personally think this idea of the shadow is beautiful. I think even dark themes hold inherent beauty as well as lighter, pretty poems. The concept of the shadow is something I am familiar with and pride myself with being able to tap into it if needed.