POL: The Vacuum

"The Vacuum" by Howard Nemerov seems to portray the message that you should live in the moment and have fun, but also plan wisely for the future so you can continue being happy. When he says "my slovenly life, my dog-dead youth" it is depressing because he regrets not letting himself have fun in his past, and how when he thought he was living a full life, but once the only thing he was living for was gone he realized he was not as happy as he thought.


I didn't so much relate to this poem as I learned a lesson. "The Vacuum" sort of opened my eyes and helped me realize to balance my life. I could be completely wrapped up in school work I would not allowed myself to relax, or I could be too busy having fun and goofing off that I wouldn't focus. I need to find the right balance between work and play. Work so I have options for my future, college and career wise. But I also need to incorporate fun into my work, because if you truly think about it, life is about the journey, not the destination.


I think the best way to convey the meaning to my listeners is to have a solemn tone about my voice, yet not tedious or monotonous, and still accentuating key parts within the poem. I will probably be really nervous, but my goal is to have intense, yet not distracting facial features. I think that hand and body motions will take away from the meaning of this poem, so I plan very little gestures in my presentation.