Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com One cannot read John Ashbery’s poetry collection, The Tennis Court Oath, without acknowledging the profound influence of the European Surrealist movement on his work. André Breton in Manifeste du Surréalisme describes the central principle of Surrealism as an attempt to ‘resolve the previously contradictory conditions of dream and reality, into … Continue reading ‘The Tennis Court Oath’ by John Ashbery: A reflection through literary analysis
Category: Poetry Reflections
‘Not Waving but Drowning’ – exploring the harrowing depth of Stevie Smith’s ‘seemingly light verse’
Photo by Matt Hardy on Pexels.com Stevie Smith’s ‘Not Waving but Drowning’ is a poem equally as fascinating in structure as disturbing in sentiment. Framed in a tragic paradox of intended and received interpretation of a physical gesture, Smith’s ‘seemingly light verse’ (Linda R. Hallett) exudes satirical depth, timelessly resonating with feelings of alienation and … Continue reading ‘Not Waving but Drowning’ – exploring the harrowing depth of Stevie Smith’s ‘seemingly light verse’
Ellie Woods 