Again and Again a Poem Written by Robert Creeley

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The simplicity and length of the poem Again written by Robert Creeley leads one to believe, upon the initial glance, that this poem will be straightforward and easy to understand. However, this is not the case when considering what this poem is actually speaking about. Throughout the fifteen lines of this poem, Creeley illustrates a journey through an average day of an average person in the modern society. Although this illustration of a journey such as this appears to be simple and boring, the poem itself is rather asking the question, “Why not do more?” This very question is something that Creeley seems to embrace in both his other writings and his life. Robert Creeley was born in Arlington, Massachusetts and worked a varied of jobs such as an ambulance driver, a chicken farmer and a publisher (218). In addition to his variety of career choices, Creeley also attended Harvard and then became instructor at Black Mountain College. Creeley’s background in being surrounded by a variety of environments connects him to the message that is in hidden inside this poem, a message of wanting to break the average routine and do something greater.
Again is set up as a poem consisting of five stanzas and each stanza consisting of three lines, or triplets. Creeley uses this particular setup for this poem to create a simplistic feel so that the message that Creeley wanted to create within the poem can be found without the necessity of in depth close reading. When this poem’s setup up is stacked against different types of poems, the reason as to why Creeley chose this type over many of the others is realized. For example, a sonnet or an ode, both different forms of poems, would not suit the needs of Creeley for a poem such as this. Reason being...

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...gives this poem a high level of appreciation and an increased level of understanding for those who read it. Due to these features of this poem, the message of wanting to break away from the daily routine and being something special that Creeley wants to convey through the poem is successfully achievable for the reader without a need for in depth close reading.

Works Cited
Creeley, Robert. "Again." The Vintage Book of Contemporary American Poetry Second Edition. By J. D. McClatchy. 2nd ed. New York: Vintage, 2003. 222-23. Print.
"Glossary Terms." Ode : Glossary Term : Learning Lab : The Poetry Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Jan. 2014.
"Glossary Terms." Sonnet : Glossary Term : Learning Lab : The Poetry Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Jan. 2014.
McClatchy, J. D. The Vintage Book of Contemporary American Poetry Second Edition. 2nd ed. New York: Vintage, 2003. Print.

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