English 2XL / Shakely / 9.

15

PV Log: (circle one) Poem / Movie / Theater / Lyric / Photo

Date 4/7/16

Title What

if?

Author / Director / Poet / Lyricist, etc. (if known)

Nate Assavarungnirund

Context (Where Found / Viewed / Read . . . Variety of Sources, please, vis-a-vis Google Images only)

I wrote this poem myself and was inspired by nature.

Content / CD / Summary (Say? Plot? Setting / Situation? Key lines / Phrases, Scenes, etc? )

The poem relates human life to a forest. At first, the poem states how simple forests are. The speaker depicts
a forest as a lazy being that simply sits there and lets nature take its course. The speaker then argues that life
is a complex filled with dreadful work and different layers of conflicts. However, at the end of the poem, the
speaker questions his entire statement. He states that forests maybe are more complex than how they seem
and that no life is truly simple.

Content / CM / Meaning? / Theme(s)?

The theme of this poem is the desire to have a simple life. However, a simple life does not equal a quiet and
meaningless life. A simple life depicts a life that does not involve any conflicts or issue. Thus, resulting in a
somewhat boring life. The poem states that some people desire a simple life, because they are tired with the
challenges they are facing. However, they fail to realize that conflict and problems shape who we are and our
lives would be completely different without it. In addition, the poem also states that no ones life is truly
simple, because there will always be conflict within our lives. Even the simplest organisms in our world have
to fight for their survivability.

Form (Diction? Construction Terms? Symbolism?) This section MUST be filled out for poems taken from the AP Poetry
packet provided prior to first library visit.

The simile life was like a forest, is used to symbolize life. It shows that there are different forms of life that
we make think is simple, but in reality it is as convoluted as our own lives. In addition, the first portion of
the poem states how a forest lives a simple life. However, at the end of the poem, the speaker contradicts
everything that he has previously stated by stating that nothing on earth lives a simple life.
Commentary: Why like? Poetic Traits? Relevance / Connections / Allusions (Lit, Bib, Myth, Histor, Other) / Relevance
to personal experience, 20Qs? etc.)?

I find this poem poetic because it states that everythings life has various layers to it. Even the smallest
animals have to fight to protect their offspring or resources. I originally came up with this poem while I was
walking through a park. While I was taking in the beauty of nature, I immediately thought of how different
the lives of trees are. I realized that nothing in life seems as simple as it appears, and even the most basic
things can have many different layers to it.

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