THE NOTION OF WIND ON ROSSETTI’S AND DAMONO’S LITERARY WORK Vidia Lantari Ayundhari Balai Diklat Keagamaan Bandung ayundhari.vidia@gmail.com Abstract Christina Rossetti and Sapardi Djoko Damono are two poets born in different nationalities. Both mostly drew simple poems using natural objects, such as wind. The writer believes that interpreting poems, in this case objecting to nature symbols, appealing and useful. The paper discusses several poems involved wind as an element on Rossetti’s work. It also analyses “Angin 3” by Damono. Comparative method is used as an attempt to understand human literary behavior by examining both texts. The writer sorted, analysed, compared the literary works in various contexts to create meanings, convey their emotions, feelings, and ideas towards the writer herself as a reader. In summary, sense of uniqueness and employment over the works represent what the poets think and feel. Poetry is not only a tool, but also an experience gain for all readers to expand the ability of exploring and understanding the world, either concrete or abstract. Keywords: natural object, wind, poem, literary work I INTRODUCTION Who Ha s Seen the Wind? By: Christina Rossetti Who ha s seen the wind? Neither I nor you: But when the leaves hang trembling, The wind is pa ssing through. Who ha s seen the wind? Neither you nor I: But when the trees bow down their heads, The wind is pa ssing by. In a glimpse, Rossetti’s poem entitled “Who Has Seen The Wind” may highly be int er pr et ed as a common poem with the compilation words fulfilled by nursery rhymes. Fineman (2009), a poet and children's book author, had a notion that this poem is anthologized in collections for chi l dr en: a poem with an ‘easy’ perfect memorization over certain forms and characterisctics having two quat r ai ns or 4 - line stanzas, and it rhymes ABABABCB. Yet, is this natural phenomenon intended to a ‘real’ wi nd? A comment taken from one of Fineman’s blog visitors then said that it is actually not: When it asks, who has the wind it refers to God. We are the trees and when have worries we tremble with fear but God is there. When we bow our heads down and pray just like t he trees in the poem God is there. The wind is like God, we can’t see him but we can al ways feel the wind just like we feel God. Wind is not a literally wind and trees are like a metaphorical word for human beings who are supposed to be afraid of God’s existence, obliged to remember Him. Wind is God, as it is invisible. Fineman but justified, the beauties of poetry also have to consider its forms of writing. It can be observed simply by bringing people experiences and expectations along with the poetry, and nature elements enclosed within are interesting to contemplate. Unfortunately, poetry is used mostly for teaching tool rather than for exploring experience (Ofsted, 2007: 9)---pros and cons on literary appreciation. Yet in some cases, other merits of interpreting literary works are for therapeutic uses which might highly lead to personal development, self-understanding and self-expression (Olson-McBride & mailto:ayundhari.vidia@gmail.com 2 | Vidia Lantari Ayundhari Lingual (Vol. 11, No.1, 2021) Page 2012). The writer then agrees with Simecek & Rumbold’s conviction (2016) that critical t hi nki ng in poetry is crucial to gain experiences which reflect our lives. Thus, based on the previous premises, the writer believes that interpreting poems, in this case objecting to nature symbols, appealing and useful for the poets and also the readers. Readers are encouraged to use poetry as that impactful words t o expl or e and understand world. II MATERIALS AND METHODS Poems contained wind as an element on Rossetti’s is selected. This paper also analyses Dam ono’ s work. A wonderful poem entitled Who has seen the wind is taken from Rossetti’s which was first published in 1947, whilst Angin 3 written by Damono is sourced from Damono’s manuscript (1994). Comparative method is used as an attempt to understand human literary behavior by means of t he examination of samplings of several texts produced by several authors (Nemesio, 1999). He al so added that the method aims to decipher humans’ (poets) work related to writing and reading objects which may differ in different cultures. The writer sorted, analysed, compared both texts as well as r el at ed t hem t o various contexts (historical, social cultural, literary, and biographical) to create meanings, convey t hei r emotions, feelings, and ideas towards the writer herself as a reader. III RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 3.1 CHRISTINA ROSSETTI: A PIOUS Born Christina Georgina Rossetti in London, December 5 1830 to Garbrielle and Frances (Polidori) Rossetti. Her father is Italian (poet and translator), and her mother is Italian and English, a religious temperament. Rossetti used bilingual in her house. She also taught religious devotion subject with her mother. The children of the family were artistic and scholarly. In 1853, she supported the family since her father became ill. Later she was diagnosed angina and Tuberculosis. Her mother nursed her. Almost Rossetti’s poetry dedicated to her mom (Bloom, 2004: 13). The summary taken from poetryfoundation.org flattens religious devotion played a major role in Christina's life. She began to worship at Christ Church at Albany Street since 1843. She also had personal ties with High Church Theologians who became her personal adviser. Most works of her are very devotional, so that Rosset t i ’ s faith for life and art can hardly be overstated. The themes of death, faith, individual unwor t hi ness, and the perfection of divine love were tightly sensed in her poetry. Most biographers portrayed middle-aged Rossetti as an overly pious. Her dedication to Anglo-Catholicism certainly intensified. Until her final illness, Rossetti worshiped at Christ Church, Woburn Square. 3.2 CHARACTERISTICS ON THE WIND POEMS Rossetti’s work was favorably accepted by the public at the moment: how she conveyed nursery rhymes in particular. In 1872, her collection of poems for children was made: Sing-Song: A Nursery Rhyme Book, (Hughes, A: 1999). It brings joy to children as it gives the memory aids for learning about time, number, months, and color, for instances. The sound and meter are well-arranged and delighted t o be heard. However, Rossetti also frequently carried on thrilling phenomena such as rain, wind, and even death over her poems. Here are two others Rossetti’s rhyming poems about wind: The Wind Ha s Such A Ra iny Sound The wind ha s such a ra iny sound Moa ning through the town, The sea has such a windy sound, Will the ships go down? The a pples in the orchard Tumble from their tree. Oh will the ships go down, go down, In the windy sea? O Wind, Why Do You Never Rest The Notion of Wind on Rossetti’s and Damono’s Literary Work 3 O wind, why do you never rest Wa ndering, whistling to a nd from, Bringing ra in out of the west, From the dim north bringing snow? The catchiness of the poems is unforgettable. It is easy to follow because of the playing sounds and repetition in each line. It would be planted to the memory of the readers as the rhyming pattern intensely fits. Moreover, the stanza meets the same sound pattern which is very neat. The use of i am bi c rhythm and meter in Who Has Seen The Wind? for instance, would make the sound move f r om up a nd down to down and up like asking question and giving answer. To have more distinction features on Rossetti’s, further explanation about these three winds poem elements is elaborated below: Elements Who has Seen The Wind The Wind Has Such A Rainy Sound O Wind, Why Do You Never Rest Qua train 2 2 1 Sta nza 4 4 4 Rhyme ABAB ABCB ABAB ABAB ABAB Rhythm & Meter 1st two lines: ia mbic trimeter Following lines: ia mbic tetrameter a nd trimester 1st & 3rd line: ia mbic tetra meter 2nd & 3rd line: ia mbic trimester 1st & 3rd line: ia mbic tetra meter 2nd & 3rd line: ia mbic trimeter Allitera tion - - wa ndering, whistling Repetition Who ha s seen the wind Neither But when The Wind ha s such go down (varia tion) Bringing Personification trembling, bow down moa ning, tumble wa ndering, whistling, bringing, Qs.ma rk Ca ll a nd Response Hesita ncy Monologue Table 1. The Analysis of The Three Winds’ Poem Elements by Christina Rossetti 3.3 THE WIND: SYMBOL AND IMAGERY There is an emphasis between the title and the refrain in Who Has Seen the Wind. Wind represent s something invisible but still we know its existence. Wind is a natural object which is mythical and mysterious. In lines 3-4, the effect of wind when it is passing through the trees is employed cleverly. Passing through trees means treating wind’s nature respectively, no force. Those “trembling” leaves ar e resulted from the passing wind. We cannot see the wind, but the wind is there, is real, exists. The t r ees and their leaves are such a prove to wind’s existence. Trembling leaves personifies human beings who feel suddenly frightened or eerie when the wind passing through. The bow-down (trees) heads also symbolize that actually they admit the power of wind. The trees defer to the wind’s strength as allowi ng it to pass. Bowing down trees shows a level of respect to the wind. They have a mutual understanding but no need any explanations. (line 7-8). The poems of The Wind Has Such A Rainy Sound and O Wind, Why Do You Never Rest also symbolize wind as a powerful natural object. The analogy in the poem The Wind Has Such A Rainy Sound brings something remarkable. The wind has rainy sound, but the sea has windy sound is such 4 | Vidia Lantari Ayundhari Lingual (Vol. 11, No.1, 2021) contrastive point of view: the wind element in water and vice versa (sea to wind). The question marks in line 4 and 8 may imply uncertainty of the ship which will go down the sea to pass through forceful windy. It is also implicitly stated that the ship can be personified as human beings facing an or deal in life whether they are strong enough or not, because wind results the apples tumbling from t hei r t r ee as well (line 5-6). Rossetti may possibly give us this message of hesitancy toward the readers. O Wind, Why Do You Never Rest, is less or more may have similar personification judgment to our previous wind poems. Rossetti asked the wind as if it is tired or not to wander and whistle: to rule the nature or to mak e it stable (line 2). 3.4 A PERSPECTIVE OF WIND FOR INDONESIAN POET The wind as a symbol written in Damono’s poems is quite many. Even, there are three poems specially entitled to wind in sequences (Angin 1, Angin 2, and Angin 3). In this paper, the writer relishes his ‘windy’ poem Angin, 3, which is more interesting for us to discuss. Bahasa English Angin, 3 “Seandainya aku bukan….” Tapi kau angin! Tapi kau harus tak letih-letihnya beringsut dari sudut ke sudut kamar, menyusup di celah-celah jendela, berkelebat di Pundak bukit itu. “Seandainya aku….” Tapi kau angin! Nafasmu tersengal setelah sia-sia menyampaikan padaku tentang perselisihan antara cahaya matahari dan warna-warna bunga “Seandainya…” Tapi kau angin! Jangan menjerit; semerbakmu memekakkanku. Wind, 3 “If only I a m not...” But you wind! But you have not to be tired shifting from one to another room’s corner, threa ding wa y through windows, fla shing by that shoulder hill. “If only I...” But you wind! You are out of breath a fter extended to me with no purpose a bout qua rrelling over sunrise and colors of flower “If only...” But you wind! Don’t scream; Your fra gra nce deafing me. Table 2. Bahasa and English Translation of Angin 3 by Sapardi Djoko Damono The use of angin or wind as natural phenomenon in Indonesian poems becomes an interesting focus to discuss for the writer is living in this country, so that she has known and learned sor t of t hem . Several Indonesian poets also use this object (wind) as an invisible thing, yet can be sensed. One of well-known Indonesian poets who fond of attaching this attribute to a poem is Sapardi Djoko Dam ono. Damono is categorized as 1966’s poet’s group. Most of the 1966’s works are surrealistic and absurd. The poems form is more liberated than the former, in forms of stanza, meter, and rhyme. Wit h hi s own sensitivity and knowledge as a poet, he translated modern Brazilian and classical Chinese literatures. Damono also translated some of literary works, such as The Old Man and The Sea by Hemmingway, around 20 drama scripts including Murder in Cathedral by TS. Elliot, and The Trilogy of Morning Become Electra by Eugene O’neil. Damono is very famous over his simple and touching collection poems. Many people marked his poems mostly telling us about God, nature, love, and death. This i s t he reason why the writer chooses Damono as the comparison for Rossetti since they have similarities on certain perception, notably in some themes. Angin 3 has freer poetic forms, among the stanza, meter, and rhyme. It has one quatrain within first two quatrains containing 4 stanzas and a couplet in the last. There are lot repetitions used in his poems, for instance the words: seandainya, tapi kau angin, tapi kau, letih-letih, sia-sia, and warna- warna. He uses exclamation marks to emphasize what he meant as well. The writer thinks Angin 3 probably delivers the message about discrepancy or temptation. The wind can be symbolized as lust, evil, or anything invisible: it depends on how the object described. The first quatrain (line 1-4) may give the message to the readers that one has a huge discrepancy with let say ‘woman’ that is metaphorized as The Notion of Wind on Rossetti’s and Damono’s Literary Work 5 the wind. He makes a supposition using “Seandainya aku bukan.. (if only I am not...)” as if he can be something fulfilled in the blanks matched the wind: the wind which is invisibly overfill the room but fast moving (active) here and there in a sturdy way. He always wants to go with the wind but it is impossibl e to catch it. Next quatrain (line 5-8) emphasizes his other supposition but a word in repetition is reduced, become “Seandainya aku... (if only...)”. The woman as wind convinced him deeply that the gap can be handled. She keeps telling him some beautiful things till no words left (out of breath) but it turns out useless. The man thinks it will not work. The last supposition uses only a word “Seandainya... (if only)”. The man expects still that the woman is not the wind. The last part also can be deciphered the man’s thought on impossibilities of being together, yet the woman keeps recalling him loudly (don’ t scr eam ) like the nature of wind that blowing fragrance so he cannot forget her ‘smell’ easily. IV CONCLUSION The unique elements are highly supposed to be employed in every literary work. Besides adding more artistic and stylistic aspects within the poem, it would be strongly planted in the reader’s mind. Rhymes and meter implementation to intone a poem for instance, or repetition which emphasizes intended meaning. Rossetti uses wind to symbolize something powerful, mystical, and mysterious. Damono does too. Yet, sometimes it is decipherable to say wind is ‘haunted’ memory, shadow, image or even hum an being. Wind affects the surrounded especially some natural objects, like trees, leaves, sea, weather, room, and others. One thing to note, the more pious a person, the more unseen (abstract) he will think or contemplate as employed in the literary work. To sum up, poetry is not only a tool, but also an experience gain for all readers. Interpreting all literary formats undoubtedly expands the ability of exploring and understanding the world, either concrete or abstract. REFERENCES ---. (2008). Oxford World’s Classic. Christina Rossetti: Poem and Prose. Edited with an Introduction and Notes by Simon Humphries. NY: Oxford. ---. (2016). Biography: Christina Rossetti. Retrieved from http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems - and poets/poets/detail/christina-rossetti#poet Bloom, H. (2004). Comprehensive Research and Study Guide: Christina Rossetti. Philadelphia: Chelsea. Chapman, A. (2012). Poem of the Month: Christina Rossetti’s “Who Has Seen The Wind?”. Ret r ieved from http://web.uvic.ca/~vicpoet/2012/01/poem-of-the-month-christina-rossettis-who-has-seen- the-wind/ Damono, S. D. (1994). Manuskrip Puisi: Hujan Bulan Juni. Jakarta: Gramedia. Fineman, K. (2009). Who Has Seen the Wind? by Christina Rossetti. Retrieved from http://kellyrfineman.blogspot.bg/2009/04/who-has-seen-wind-by-christina-rossetti.html Hughes, A. (1999). Sing-Song: A Nursery Rhyme Book By Christina G. Rossetti. Retrieved from http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/rossetti/singsong/singsong.html Olson-McBride, L., and T. F. Page. 2012. Song to Self: Promoting a Therapeutic Dialogue wi t h Hi gh - Risk Youths through Poetry and Popular Music. Social Work with Groups 35 (2): 124–137. Simecek, K., & Rumbold, K. (2016). The Uses of Poetry. Changing English, 23:4, 309-313, DOI: 10.1080/1358684X.2016.1230300 Nemesio, A. (1999). The Comparative Method and the Study of Literature. CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture, 1(1), 1. Ofsted. (2007). Poetry in Schools: A Survey of Practice. London: Ofsted. Shmoop Editorial Team. (2008). Who Has Seen the Wind? Retrieved from http://www.shmoop.com/who-has-seen-the-wind/