Amends Adrienne Rich

1. “…an enchanted elixir poured out upon the stressed out soul of those who are of romantic bent,freeing the mind of daily drudgery,giving license to dream the dreams of the heart.” -Richard Ellis AmendsAdrienne Rich Literature Project “Moonlight echoes sweet sounds of wonder Step within my shadows of beauty Glass flowers twinkle on the walkway” -Gwendolyn Golden Group Members: -Amna Ahmad -Ayesha Jamal -Asma Imran

2. Amends • Nights like this: on the cold apple-bougha white star, then anotherexploding out of the bark:on the ground, moonlight picking at small stonesas it picks at greater stones as it rises with the surflaying its cheek for moments on the sandas it licks the broken ledge, as it flows up the cliffs,as it flicks across the tracksas it unavailing pours into gashof the sand-and-gravel quarryas it leans across the hangared fuselageof the crop dusting planeas it soaks through cracks into trailerstremulous with sleepas it dwells upon the eyelids of sleepersas if to make amends

3. Introduction • The poem Amends, is written by Adrienne Rich, an American poet and is 80 years old. It is basically about the relationship between the moonlight and the humans. The moonlight wishes to make amends, because it sympathizes with the lives of the sleepers. As night heals up, it also helps the sleepers to get away with bad memories. The moon feels sorry for the sleeping people because it wishes that the people will release their bad memories while they sleep. 1.To change for the better; improve 2. To remove the faults or errors in; correct. 3. To alter (a legislative measure, for example) formally by adding, deleting, or rephrasing. 4. To enrich (soil), especially by mixing in organic matter or sand. AMENDS

4. Lot of alliteration use of 'l' and ‘s’ contributes to musical quality. imagery: metaphor -cold apple bough -exploding out of the bark -pours into the gash -tremulous with sleep Analysis of the poem No specific rhyme or rhythm detected. Theme of childhood discussed (moonlight given attributes of children.. trying to please the troubled…wandering and roaming around) The tone of the poem is quite sad, melancholy and observant. The mood of the poem is quite imaginary and dreamy Personification of moonlight (eg.) -picking up small stones -rises with the surf -laying its cheek for moments on the sand repetition of 'as it"--precedes description of the moonlights actions ....but finally 'as if"

5. First Stanza • The first stanza is about how at night in the dark it is very cold with stars showing up, lighting up every single piece of ground that is visible to make the night better than day for people. It explains well enough already that the moonlight and humans have a relationship. • 'nights like this' + 'cold' apple bough: time of night: darkness, absence of light (sun)...possibly the moonlight tries to make amends (tries to act as substitute for the absence of the sun's light) and tries to soothe the people who have been disturbed by the events of the day • Moonlight is sympathic towards the human who cannot achieve peaceful sleep. The moonlight wants the humans to relax and shows them an end towards the conflicts,a new beginning.

6. SECOND stanza • moonlight rises with the 'surf"- the poet creates a perfect picture of harmony- the moonlight is trying to create peace-that can be tried to be achieved in the night, if not during the day • laying its cheek for "moments" on the sand---its busy but is slightly touching everything...depicting cautiousness...the moonlight wants to taste everything feel everything explore, become part of the motion in the world.. the perfect harmonious picture the poet creates • the moonlight tries to touch encompass everything "cliffs" etc. ... but it spreads slowly, sneaks, "flows" "licks" "flicks" "rises"... with these descriptive words the poet tries to create an image of the moonlight as a person...giving it human characteristics, mostly of children • shows the beauty of the night, it starts showing more and more, and then rests on the sand, as it reaches the broken ledge, it lights up the high cliffs 

7. Third stanza • unavailing" ...efforts or actions of the moonlight are futile ...useless...they have no significance...they cannot act as a substitute for the absence of light…no matter what the moonlight aims at-it can never be an equal, or even a worthy enough substitute for the sunlight that is present during the day • Describing nightly beauty and also trying to release the disturbing and conflicting thoughts in peoples minds over the night.

8. Fourth stanza • ‘as if to make amends’: maybe the poet is mocking the efforts of the moonlight or the poet also appears to be doubting the moonlight’s true intention by the words “As if”…night is the time of darkness and deceit…and the light in the dark can also appear deceptive. • ‘dwells upon the eyelids of sleepers’: attempts to wash away the troubles of the day, wishes for the people to be at ease. • the moonlight feels as though during the night it has to give peace to humans and creatures alike. It feels sorry that the humans have negative energy throughout the day and hopes to help by making positive energy … hence amendingfor all the wrongs that occur during the day

9. JazakaLlAh