The+Poet,+Trying+to+Surprise+God

"The poet is trying to surprise god."
The poet, trying to surprise his God composed new forms from secret harmonies, tore from his fiery vision galaxies of unrelated shapes, both even & odd. But God just smiled, and gave His know-all nod saying, "There's no surprising One who sees the acorn, root, and branch of centuries; I swallow all things up, like Aaron's rod. So hold this thought beneath your poet-bonnet: no matter how free-seeming flows your sample God is by definition the unsurprised." "Then I'll return," the poet sighed, "to sonnets of which this is a rather pale example." "Is that right?" said God. "I hadn't realized...."


 * **Paraphrase:**

The poet tried to surprise God by making new forms from his own secrets that wouldn't make sense to anyone else. But God was not surprised; he just smiled and said, " You can't surprise someone who knows everything. So remember it may seem like you have all these secrets, but I can't be fooled." Then the poet said, " Then I will go back to writing sonnets like this." God replied, " Really? I hadn't noticed..."

>> composed new forms from secret harmonies, >> tore from his fiery vision galaxies >> of unrelated shapes, both even & odd.
 * **Allusions:**
 * Aaron's Rod- Mose's brother's staff (staff has magical powers), important because it shows that even though God gave the staff power, God can take it away at anytime (McCurdy, Jewish Encyclopedia).
 * **Section Analysis #1**
 * The poet, trying to surprise his God
 * This section goes more into how people have secrets. the poet's mind is like a labyrinth and he has hubris. The poet believes he is very creative and more creative than God even though God is the creator.

>> saying, "There's no surprising One who sees >> the acorn, root, and branch of centuries; >> I swallow all things up, like Aaron's rod.
 * **Section Anaylsis #2**
 * But God just smiled, and gave His know-all nod
 * God is humoring the poet because he all-knowing and he recognizes that the poet does not understand God's far-reaching power. So god takes it upon himself to explain the full extent of his power to the unsuspecting poet.

>> no matter how free-seeming flows your sample >> God is by definition the unsurprised." >> "Then I'll return," the poet sighed, "to sonnets >> of which this is a rather pale example."
 * **Section Analysis #3**
 * So hold this thought beneath your poet-bonnet:
 * God is kind of mocking the poet with the phrase, " ... thought beneath your poet bonnet..."


 * **Section Analysis #4**
 * "Is that right?" said God. "I hadn't realized..."
 * It seems like God is trying to be humorous with his sarcasm because he's pretending to be surprised.


 * Literary Devices/Aspects to consider:**
 * Petrarchanl rhyme scheme
 * This could exemplify the poet's effort to be creative and different like Shakespeare.


 * Thesis Ideas:**
 * God created everything, so he cannot be surprised by the poet, who is one of His own creations.
 * Unconventional rhyme schemes are creative to humans, but still can't surprise God.
 * It is possible to surprise God through extreme creativity.
 * God is all powerful but still has sympathy.
 * God is trying to make the poet feel better by acting surprised.
 * God has a sarcastic and mocking personality.
 * God is mocking the poet with his sarcasm and how he acknowledges that the poet is of lower status than him.

Peter Meinke is a poet and author who has written and published multiple books of poetry as well as a book of short stories. He has also received several awards for his poetry (Meinke, "Peter Meinke"). Not only did he write the poem "The Poet, Trying to Surprise God." He also wrote a book about this idea called __Trying to Surprise God.__
 * About the Author:**


 * Video interpretation:**

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Works Cited: McCurdy, J. "Aaron's Rod." __Jewish Encyclopedia__. 19 Nov. 2009 .

Meinke, Peter. "Peter Meinke". 20 Nov. 2009 .


 * Individual Analysis:**

Marie Rohit Kathy