"Singapore" and "In Creve Coeur"

Paper Summary:

This paper reviews and discusses the poems "Singapore" by Mary Oliver and "In Creve Coeur' by Rosanna Warren. According to the paper, the overall theme of "Singapore" expresses the "excesses of civilization" through a narrative which describes an airport housekeeper or maid caught washing metal ashtrays in the bowl of a toilet in an airport stall. The paper also reports that the tone of Warren's poem is one of death, symbolized by the unconscious baby taken from a burning house by a fireman.

From the Paper:

"The imagery in this poem is quite similar to that found in "Singapore." First of all, the focus is upon a fireman of Creve Coeur who is photographed by the narrator ("an amateur photographer") as he brings the lifeless and naked body of a baby from a burning house. Oliver compares this baby to laundry "pulled too soon from the line," meaning that like wet clothes, the baby is limp and rag-like ("rag of body"). The image of the baby cuddled in the arms of the fireman is a "huge, dark, crumpled embrace" and the baby itself, although unconscious, presses its "doll-like fist" to the chest of the fireman. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• "Mary Oliver." Poets.org. Internet. 2007. Retrieved from http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/265.
• "Rosanna Warren." Poets.org. 2007. Internet. 2007. Retrieved from http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/188.

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