Timothy+Steele

Timothy Steele was born on January 22, 1948 in Burlington Virginia. He attended Stanford University and graduated in 1970 with a Bachelors in English. He published his first collection of poems //Uncertainties and Rest,// in 1979. After he received such praise from his first collection of poems he published //The Hudson Review.// Following the publication of his second work he published 3 more works. He has received many different awards for his multiple works and he is now a professor of English at California State University in Los Angles.

Biography information from: https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/timothy-steele Photo from: https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/timothy-steele

**In a Memphis Airport**
Above the concourse, from a beam, A little warbler pours forth song. Beneath him, hurried humans stream: Some draw wheeled suitcases along Or from a beeping belt or purse Apply a cell phone to an ear; Some pause at banks of monitors Where times and gates for flights appear.

Although by nature flight-endowed, He seems too gentle to reproach These souls who soon will climb through cloud In first class, business class, and coach. He may feel that it's his mistake He's here, but someone ought to bring A net to catch and help him make His own connections north to spring.

He cheeps and trills on, swift and sweet, There, telescopic tunnels greet Though no one outside hears his strains. The cheeks of their arriving planes; A ground crew welcomes and assists Luggage that skycaps, treating bags Like careful ornithologists, Banded with destination tags.


 * This poem is from the perspective of someone or something watching the hustle and bustle of the airport. Steele did a good job capturing the true essence of the airport. He used a lot of imagery in this poem which I think really added to the poem. Without the imagery it would have been difficult to imagine what the airport was like and what exactly was going on. This poem has and A B rhyme scheme meaning every other line rhymes by the last word. The tone of this poem is very calm. Although airports are busy and constantly moving this poem does not emit a crazy tone. I really enjoyed this poem. Steele's use of imagery really added to poem and made it very interesting and exciting to read.**



**Aurora**
Your sleep is so profound This room seems a recess Awaiting consciousness. Gauze curtains, drawn around The postered bed,confute Each waking attribute— Volition, movement, sound.

Outside, though, chilly light Shivers a puddle's coil Of iridescent oil; Windows, sun-struck, ignite; Doves strut along the edge Of roof- and terrace-ledge And drop off into flight.

And soon enough you'll rise. Long-gowned and self-aware, <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Brushing life through your hair, <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">You'll notice with surprise <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The way your glass displays, <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Twin-miniatured, your face <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">In your reflective eyes.

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Goddess, it's you in whom <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Our clear hearts joy and chafe. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Awaken, then. Vouchsafe <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Ideas to resume. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Draw back the drapes: let this <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Quick muffled emphasis <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Flood light across the room.


 * This poem is about sleeping beauty who is also know as Aurora. Steele uses detailed imagery throughout the poem. Steele explains that inside the room it is calm and quite even peaceful, but on the outside it is chilly and dark. Steele also uses a the symbol of a dove which in most cases means hope or peace. Steele mentions in line two and three that there is a recess in the room awaiting Aurora's waking. The dove could possibly symbolize the hope of the people watching and waiting. Hope that Aurora does wake. In the third stanza of the poem it seems as though Aurora had awaken. In lines four and five of the third stanza it says " You'll notice with surprise, The way your glass displays." This comes across that she is looking in the mirror and will be surprising of hoe beautiful she is.**
 * This poem is very beautiful. It isn't very intense. It has a calm tone to it. Steele told a small part of the story of sleeping beauty through poetry.**

Practice
<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">The basketball you walk around the court <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">Produces a hard, stinging, clean report. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">You pause and crouch and, after feinting, swoop <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">Around a ghost defender to the hoop <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">And rise and lay the ball in off the board. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">Solitude, plainly, is its own reward.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">The game that you've conceived engrosses you. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">The ball rolls off; you chase it down, renew <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">The dribble to the level of your waist. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">Insuring that a sneaker's tightly laced, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">You kneel—then, up again, weave easily <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">Through obstacles that you alone can see.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">And so I drop the hands I'd just now cupped <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">To call you home. Why should I interrupt? <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">Can I be sure that dinner's ready yet? <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">A jumpshot settles, snapping, through the net; <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">The backboard's stanchion keeps the ball in play, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">Returning it to you on the ricochet.


 * This poem is set on a basketball court. From the way it is written it seems as though someone is watching their child play basketball and in great detail explaining what they see. The context clues that lead me to this conclusion were in the third stanza the first through third lines " And so I drop the hands I just now cupped,**
 * To call you home. Why should I interrupt?**
 * Can I be sure that dinner's ready yet?"**
 * These three lines lead me to believe that a parent is watching their child play a game of basketball and the parent seems to enjoy watching because he/she did not want to interrupt the child by calling them for dinner.**
 * I enjoyed reading this poem because of the attention to detail. That really helps put me in the setting of poem watching that child have a great time playing basketball. I also love that the parent of the child is enjoying watching their child play basketball and questioning themselves about dinner being ready. I like to think of when I was a kid and playing outside. When my mom called me inside for dinner I would hate to end my time outside so reading those first few lines in the third stanza really brought a smile to my face.**
 * This poem is written in AA BB rhyme scheme and has a joyful happy tone.**

Skull at the Crossroads


<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">Disparage, if you will, the life you live: <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto,sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">It's preferable to the alternative


 * Although this poem is small it has a large meaning. Disparage is having regard or represent**
 * of being or little worth. The setting of the poem is the title. When I was reading this poem I put myself in that place. I see myself sitting at the crossroads looking at that skull. Steele basically says, complain about your life if you want to but you could be dead. This is my favorite poem that I read of Steele's. I think a lot of people look over it and don't really consider it because it is so short, but it is a reality check. This poem puts life in perspective for anyone. Most people go through life complain about everything and anything, but as Steele says "it's preferable to the alternative." I think Steele wrote this poem to open people's eyes, to make them see that death is real and it could happen to anyone. I also think the length of the poem has to do with the overall concept. Life is short, while it may seem long in the overall scheme of things it really isn't. There are so many things to experience in life and if you complain about everything then you miss out on the opportunities that life has to offer. This poem can be taken in many different ways depending on the reader, but I think everyone needs to read it because it can really put everything in perspective. This poem has no rhyme scheme and the tone is pretty dark because it is talking about death, but it is also real because death happens.**

**All poems from:**

 * Steele, Timothy. "Timothy Steele Poems." Poem Hunter. Timothy Steele, 10 Feb. 2016. Web. <http://www.poemhunter.com/timothy-steele/poems/>.