Omeros

Since I haven't had much experience reading epic poems, I found Omeros quite difficult to follow. I kept thinking that every line was a reference to something in Homer's epics that I wasn't understanding because I haven't read them. I felt like I wasn't giving it the poem the justice it deserves. The one thing that I could appreciate about this poem is the words that Walcott uses. Through his words, he transports you to the very place the character is in. For example, on page 142 he writes...

"He walked the ribbed sand under the flat keels of whales,

under the translucent belly of the snaking current,

the tiny shadows of tankers passed over him like snails

as he breathed water, a walking fish in its element."

He mixes the language of the land and the language of the sea to paint a picture of what it would be like for a man to stand on the ocean floor. I suppose the mixing of two worlds is something he is very familiar with.

Family Road Trips

In the beginning of this family's journey, I am reminded of my family and home. First of all, the grandmother's white gloves remind me of my great aunt whose collections of white gloves are in a box in my mom's room. Every now and then, those gloves are pulled out and my mom and grandmother and aunt take turns sharing stories of Aunt Virginia and the ladies of the town getting dressed up for church and other events and travel. I am also reminded of my grandmother when the grandmother in the story mentions speed. I am a bit of a speedster, and sadly my family knows it. Every time I leave home or go on an adventure, my grandmother makes me promise that I won't go over the speed limit. God is going to spend quite a bit of time on those promises when I get up there. The final thing is when the grandmother continually points out scenery and parts of the landscape. Whenever my family would go on a long road trip, my brother and I would play "road trip bingo" which is a piece of cardboard that had small pictures of random things you can see on the road - cow, cat, stop sign, ambulance, etc. There were times the entire family was helping us so we could win. It was so much fun! Although I am not far in this work, I have found humor and memories. I am excited for the rest!