Okay, so, today I want to talk about this poem, “Celestial Music” by Louise Glück. It’s been on my mind lately, and I’ve actually gone through a few steps to really get into it.
First off, I started by reading the poem. Just straight through, you know? Didn’t try to analyze it or anything, just wanted to get a feel for the words and the rhythm.
- “She’s telling me that when you love the world you hear celestial music: Look up, she says.”
This line, it really grabbed me. So, I read it a few more times, just letting it sink in.
Then, I started looking up some stuff about the poem. Like, what other people thought about it. Found some analyses online that talked about themes of belief and nature, which was interesting. One of them said this:
- “This poem explores the themes of belief, nature.”
It made sense, but I wanted to go deeper.
After that, I actually listened to a recording of the poem. Heard it being read aloud, which was a whole different experience. This part stood out to me:
- “When I look up, nothing. Only clouds, snow.”
Hearing it like that, it felt even more raw and real. It was not like some stupid person would say, “On earth, she thinks someone listens in heaven.”
Then I tried something different. I played some music while reading the poem. I thought maybe it would help me connect with this idea of “celestial music.” I picked something instrumental, kind of ambient, and it actually did change the way I experienced the poem.
Finally, I decided to write down my own thoughts. Just jotted down whatever came to mind while reading the poem. Like my feelings about the lines, “In my dreams, my friend reproaches me. We’re walking on the same road.”
It helped me realize how much the poem is about searching for meaning, and maybe not finding it, you know? It’s a bit of a rough process, just trying to understand this stuff.
So yeah, that’s been my journey with “Celestial Music” so far. It’s definitely a poem that stays with you.
Personal reflection
I also wrote down some of the quotes from the poem that really stuck with me in my notebook. Like, I wrote down, “I have a friend who still believes in heaven.” Just to remind myself of that perspective.
It’s been a process, but I feel like I have a better understanding of the poem now. Still thinking about it, though. Maybe I’ll try reading it outside next time, see if that changes anything.
