Modern Prometheus Poetry

Silent–In the Light,

The speaker emits its common cries.

He stands up from his cyan chair uncomfortable, unhappily unified,

Today, he will rise.

Silent-In the Light,

Thoughts abound on defying the fools,

How to build upon his brethren's rights?

His mind is set against the unruly rules.

Silent-In the dark,

For the fluorescent light above has now been taken away,

He tries and tries to make his mark.

But today he'll stand suppressed, feelings kept at bay.

Empowered-In the Dark,

He rises up to get back on the ground,

Today he's sure in ultimate stark, 

Colin stands by sitting down.

"Poetry" by Don Paterson

Don Paterson exercises a pleading tone in "Poetry," as he remarks of the importance of free literature and poetry, unobstructed by forced verses or thoughts not purely original. He does so by using simile in the midst of a metaphor. Paterson contrasts pure and forced poetry. When describing non-flowing and unnatural verse, he likens its voice to: "a bar room's singer – boastful / with his own huge feeling, drowned by violins." Unnatural poetry does not sit well with the reader and is weaker than literature written normally off the tip of the pen, unencumbered by deadlines or rushing. Poetry that is pure and worthwhile is "like a mountain spring, anonymous and serene." Extending this simile, the last lines speak of the spring's water, as it "sings of nothing." It is not owned by any one person, but rather simply conveys ideas and human experience. Paterson delivers this message of the necessity of natural poetry through his similes and metaphor, as he signifies the importance of allowing words to flow through the writer.

"American Cheese" by Jim Daniels

Jim Daniels uses a nostalgic tone in his poem "American Cheese," proving the importance of staying grounded and connected to one's past. He uses imagery of various cheeses and extended metaphor to bring this idea to life. Daniels begins that today, he eats "cheeses / my parents never heard of–gooey / pale cheeses speaking garbled tongues." He paints this picture of foreign cheese to show that later in life, he has great opportunity and ability. He has allowed himself to "[acquire] a taste" for nuance and originality, despite this being different than his past. Daniels pictures his past house to be "built like a square of sixty-four / American singles," each piece requiring "[digging nails] in to separate them." Although he appreciates his current life, he can never forget his roots, writing, "I crave–more than any home / cooking–those thin slices in the fridge." Daniels refuses to let the present and delicacies of his new lifestyle hinder him from remembering his past, as he uses metaphor and imagery to convey this important practice.