"Neither living nor dead" is a line that immediately strikes me and reels me in, It reminds me of the lyric: "I believe I can see the future 'cause I repeat the same routine". This lyric to me describes a zombie like routine in which one feels neither alive nor dead "I could not speak, and my eyes failed" remind me of the lyric: "I think I use to have a voice Now I never make a sound." Moreover, the line "and I knew nothing" reminds me of the lyric "then again that might have been a dream. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysFxrPNjvNA

Fog is an interesting word to describe an "unreal city". Fog and unreal describe a haze or an almost dreamlike state. It further adds to the idea of zombie"ness". In a fog one can rarely see what lays ahead.

This line gives the imagery of a zombie. Zombies are typically slow, falling apart, tattered, half dead and half alive. I feel to be a zombie is to move through life neither dead nor alive slowly falling apart, looking for someone to bite, someone to zombify if not eat whole. Misery loves company after all.

This line is powerful. I read it as "Dea[th] gives no shelter". The cricket is symbolic of silence. Therefore, death and silence bring no shelter and no relief. The dry stone sparks a fire, but it provides no sound of water. Water is symbolic of life. Specifically, the line speaks of "sound". The sound of water is relaxing.Therefore I read it as "Dea[th] ... gives no shelter, silence no relief ... and death no peace.

I love the word "warm". Winter and Warmth are opposites; however ignorance (forgetful[ness]) is bliss and therefore winter keeps "us" warm in its forgetful snow.

Back-water Blues is anecdote. The song says, "There's thousands of people, ain't got no place to go." However, Ma Rainey gives people a place to go.

“She jes’ catch hold of us, somekindaway," is another line in the poem. I like the use of repetition. It emphasizes the "hold" Ma Rainey has on people.

I had to look up Carl Solomon. He is an American writer from NY who underwent shock therapy to cure his depression. Howl is a beautiful piece. The use of exclamation marks and repetition creates a "howl". "I'm with you...I'm with you...I'm with you..." Ginsberg howls. A howl to Carl and a howl to the best minds of his generation. Howl is a call to action. It is piece ahead of its time that brings awareness to mental illness.

Ginsberg throughout Howl repeatedly references bodily fluids: thr[o]w up, blood and semen. For example, "scattering their semen...". Additionally, the line discusses whiskey, throw up and blood which is a notable line because he inevitably died of liver cancer. He was also one of the best minds of his generations.

Bickford is a NY restaurant mentioned in Patti Smith's Just Kids. Patti described it as a place where artists of all kind went. Allen Ginsberg, Patti Smith, Robert Mapplethorpe and Andy Warhol to name a few. In Ginsberg's words these are "the best minds of [his] generation".

This statement reminds me of, "You speak English very well for a Mexican" to which some reply "No. I speak English very well period." However, others will reply. I speak English very well and I am Mexican. The latter is a response I believe the author would be more fond of.

I identify as Mexican-American. My mother was born in America and my father was born in Mexico. However, my brother identifies simply as American arguing that "he was born in America". He's not inherently wrong, but in choosing to identify solely as American he erases a part of his identity. "Let's be dull like the Nordics" is a similar gesture towards assimilation.

The opening paragraph reminds me of the statement, "I don't see color." Similarly, it reminds me of the response "If you don't see color then you don't see me".

There is a certain juxtaposition taking place in this line; for instance, “dignified” and “boughten friendship” do not belong in the same sentence. There is no dignity in a boughten friendship. Frost is taking a jab at a certain “hollywood” and “stock exchange” type. This line in the final stanza is ironic because this is the opposite of what Frost really means.

The poem’s diction stands out the most. For instance; none, cut down, rusted, brought you low. This line uses the word “blade” which brings us back to this imagery of being cut and rusted. However, I don’t believe the poem refers to a battle in the traditional sense. I believe it could be applicable to various situations.

I appreciate this as a final line because the author asks rhetorical questions in the preceding lines. The “I know” creates a sense of empathy.

The words “not” and “nor” are repeated throughout the poem. However, this line contrasts the rest of the poem in that the use of “not” in this poem gives love a positive connotation. The poem states, “Love is not all” and “Love can not”. However, the line “I do not think I would” implies that despite loves inabilities one still would not rid themselves of it. The poem reminds me of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

I think she hung herself.

maybe she’s been in an asylum all along, maybe John wasn’t the problem after all

John may very well be the problem.

Hate to say it but John is gaslighting her.

John sounds repeatedly controlling over Charlotte. Her relationship with John may also be toxic or bad for her mental health.

• toxic masculinity • gender roles

John encourages her to ignore her condition (mental illness). She feels bad because she is ignoring her mental health and not acknowledging her feelings and instead repressed them.

may be mental illness

The author cannot understand himself nor the world around him. Him and the world are one in the same — they cry.

The author personifies the water. The water is the voice of his heart.

crying is repeated 6x throughout the poem (heavy emphasis)

This simile compares mothers to (tree) stumps. Stumps are what are LEFT of a tree once it's been cut down. Once a tree no longer bears any flowers, leaves, fruits or branches to provide shade it becomes a stump. These mothers were stripped of what they once where thus they become stumps.

This line personifies the earth as a mother. The stanza in particular speaks about death. The imagery of the trees dying and the fence posts corroding is a good transition from the previous stanza.

It is interesting that the mention of "buried aunties" proceeds the following line about hardening mothers. One would presume that the women in the author's life endured a lot.

great word choice throughout poem i.e. “pig balls”