Guests on the Sea

There is an ongoing dispute between Israel and Palestine on the division and establishment of their states. The Palestinians had always wanted to have a state of their own. But it seemed impossible because Israel and Palestine are occupying in the same land. The only option for them is to divide the land and to create two states. Another option is to create one state wherein all are to be treated equal, which is not that good considering their differences in every ways. The Israelis were hooked up with this idealism that since they are the Jews "The Chosen People of God", they are superior among all races. It is good for the preservation of their culture and civilization. But considering human realtionship they should be fair and just with each other.

Maybe what the author wanted to portray about the history that was shattered is the concept of brotherhood. Considering the roots of Israelis and Palestinians, they all came from the same ancestors which were the grandsons of Noah. In fact, there was a time that they were called distant brothers. And also the guests on the sea, represents the entire population of Palestine. Since they are very eager and determined to have a land of their own, but couldn't attain it. I think the land in the poem that the author was talking about is the land that the Palestians dreamed of. Farewell, small island of ours. These could also mean that they bade farewell to this land because of the reality that it is impossible for them to have a land of their own. First, Israelis and Palestinians wanted to occupy this land, therefore migration is not an option. And another thing is that, if they wanted to occupy and create a state of their own, they could consider fighting, wherein thousand of innocent civilians will die. From this, we can see that there is really no alternative in the Palestinians fight to have their own land rather than having an agreement among themselves.

The journey could also be the events that the Palestinian had encountered when they were thrown out from their own land. The issue could be solved easily through diplomatic means, which is easier and not time-consuming. But considering their affialiations and way of life, it is not that easy. Their way of life, beliefs, and religion contradicts each other. Giving them a hard time to reconcile. But until now, there is still no definite answer to their wants. "The sea, do not give us the song we do not deserve". For me, the sea refers to the land that they should have had. But instead they were caught up with these hardships because of discrimination. The author used women, poet, apple and many other things in the poem. It signifies that despite the teachings of the Bible, the Israelis failed to do so because of their arrogance. How could they consider themselves superior and righteous when in the first place they couldn't even consider their distant brothers. I am not saying that it is the Israelis fault for having these kind of conflict, the Palestinians had also their share in making this conflict worse.

The Song of Becoming

“But there is suffering in life, and there are defeats. No one can avoid them. But it's better to lose some of the battles in the struggle for your dreams than to be defeated without ever knowing what you're fighting for.” - Paulo Coelho

The first nine lines of the poem was all about the childhood of men and women who continuously fought for freedom. It was during childhood that dreams were created. It was during these times that the hunger and thirst for knowledge began, to know more about the recent events happening around them. After the author had acquainted us with their experiences during childhood, she began to shift to the crisis that had undergone, especially during the Israeli occupation.

The children who once pretended to be great heroes in history were about to become one. Men and women began to stand on their feet. Indeed, the rest of the poem were all about the transformation of a peacuful child into a mature individuals. Mature enough to strive for their own rights and struggle for the oppressed people. Mature enough to stand firmly on what they believed in, may it be God or Allah, even if death awaits them. In fact, the last few lines of the poem were all about death. It was all about how these people defended what they believed in, how the death of thousand people made us aware of their determination to be treated fair and having a nation that they can call their own.

The Lamb and the Tyger

Blake is actually making a point by asking a question that many of us ponder at some point in our lives. Is the same god who created all the wondrous good in the world, which in this poem is represented by the lamb, also the creator of the Tiger, which in this poem represents the brutal, predatory side of nature, and, by extension, reality. In short god created all these wonderful things together with the not so beautiful things maybe to remind us that life isn't fair. Life is not always about being happy, there is a relentless struggle to overcome the odds.

The symmetry between the lamb and the tyger is important because Blake is making a reference here to the Lamb, the counterpart of the Tyger. They are the same in that they are both part of god's creation. They are both equally important tools of nature, the lamb and the tyger, however they are different in that the lamb represents innocence, youth, and pleasant aspect of nature, where as the tyger is representing the more powerful, brutal, fearful part of nature Though both can be beautiful in their own way, the Tyger is beautiful in a more experienced light, as one recognizes the striking colors and form of this graceful, yet deadly beast, where as the Lamb is seen in a more childish, cute fashion.

Tyger! Tyger!Burning bright
Little Lamb, Who made thee?
Little Lamb, I'll tell thee!
Little Lamb, God bless thee.