Stephen Crane - A Man Said to the Universe

A Man Said to the Universe

 

A man said to the Universe:

"Sir, I exist!"

"However," replied the universe,

"The fact has not created in me

A sense of obligation."

 

The reason I like this poem is how Stephen Crane satirizes about people who think they are the only people alive in this universe.  Selfishness is the root of all sin, I believe.  We need to realize that the universe does not slow down on bad days, nor does it try to suck the time out of good days. 

Stephen Crane - Horizon

Horizon

 

I saw a man pursuing the horizon

Round and round they sped

I was disturbed at this;

I accosted the man.

"It is futile," I said,

"You can never -"

"You lie," he cried,

And ran on.

 

This personifies some people on Earth.  Most people on Earth.  We try to make as much money as we can.  We try to obtain as many friends.  And truthfully, all that matters is the afterlife.  A man chasing after the horizon is as silly as a man who lives his life in the endless pursuit of earthly success.

Stephen Crane - The Wayfarer

The Wayfarer

 

The wayfarer

Preceiving the pathway to truth

Was struck with astonishment.

It was thickly grown with weeds

"Ha," he said,

"I see that none has passed here

In a long time."

Later he saw that each weed

Was a singular knife.

"Well," he mumbled at last,

"Doubtless there are other roads." 

 

The reason I put this poem on here was the truly accurate personification of truth.  It has those sharp blades, it is not traveled often, and with the slightiest difficulty, many abonadon the path to truth.

Stephen Crane - To the Maiden

To The Maiden

 

To the Maiden

The sea was blue meadow,

Alive with little froth-people

Singing.

To the sailor, wrecked,

The sea dead grey walls

Superlative in vacancy,

Upon which nevertheless at fateful time

was writteen

the grim hatred of nature.

 

I love this poem because it really shows how two people can look at the same situation, and depending on their past can count it as a blessing or a inconvenience.  The maiden who spends no time on the ocean sees the ocean as a beautiful thing.  The sailor who spends countless hours on the ocean see it as emptiness.