Meerschaum imagination annotation ?

     I would like to tackle the word "meerschaum" from Peace Like a River. This word comes up during the time of court dealings, right before Mr. DeCuellar enlightens Swede with a new game ... War at Sea. This is the exact passage it is found in, "He looked at her, brought out his meerschaum, and squatted comfortably."(82)    
    The reasons why this stuck out to me, was that it was a German word, and it's literal meaning would seem awkward and unfitting. I am German, and therefore reading this passage the first time automatically read it as it's original German meaning. Meerschaum translates into Sea foam. He brought out his sea foam? This imagery of waves crashing and as a result creating calm foam drawing towards the beach, made me view Mr.DeCuellar as described nice. First, he is like waves crashing (maybe symbolizing his job in protecting and turning people over) then later, he is the calm sea foam (talking and playing with Swede, comforting). My mind just accepted it as a great imagery device to use meerschaum as Dr. DeCuellars choice of speech. It just fit so well, with the War at Sea game reference, just a sentence later.(82)
    Once I researched the word in the dictionary, the revelation of a completely different meaning splashed me in the face.

[meer-shuhm, -shawm] –noun
1. a mineral, hydrous magnesium silicate, H 4 Mg 2 Si 3 O 1 0 , occurring in white, clay like masses, used for ornamental carvings, for pipe bowls, etc.; sepiolite.
2. a tobacco pipe with a bowl made of this substance.

    Realizing now, that meerschaum did not represent DeCuellars way of speaking, but his tobacco pipe, I felt a mix between "duh, that makes sense" and disappointment. I liked my initial way of thinking far better. Meerschaum symbolism seemed to be a secret, since I could not find any results...I must have been the first one to think deeply into meerschaum. Smoking Pipes, in general were compared to a man's hat, or clothing. They both reflect the style, personality, and taste of a person. Meerschaum pipes were white, hard (yet soft enough to be able to be scratch-carved into designs), quality, and artworks. Could this describe Mr. DeCuellar? ... white for pureness, righteousness? ... hard, yet has a soft side? ...quality?...artist? I think the symbolism could relate very well here. In order to do his job right, he must be righteous and hard, with slight softness. He must manipulate the word choice and tone he uses, as an art form to succeed at his lawyer profession with quality.
    As a summery, my own interpretation of meerschaum was great to be engaged in. The true meaning used in the story might have not been as greatly effective as mine, but it's what the author meant. Considering I am reading his work, I want to keep it to his meanings. The lawyer in the end is portrayed as a professional mannered man, by simple adding an artistic pipe to the story line.

Citations

Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (Eleventh ed.). Cambridge University Press.

"Meerschaum." Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 31 Mar. 2011.
    <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Meerschaum>.

 

Enger, Lief. Peace Like a River. New York : Grove Press, 2001.

 

Love this "LOVE POEM"

This is my reflection on a love poem ... it’s titled “Love Poem”. =P Here is the poem for you to read, and then my reflection to follow. 

Love Poem

I want to write you
a love poem as headlong
as our creek
after thaw
when we stand
on its dangerous
banks and watch it carry
with it every twig
every dry leaf and branch
in its path
every scruple
when we see it
so swollen
with runoff
that even as we watch
we must grab
each other
and step back
we must grab each
other or
get our shoes
soaked we must
grab each other

First, I realized that the title is straight forward with what the writing will be about. This sets a mindset of a comfortable and personal feeling to the poem, instead of being disclosed in a strict literature style writing. The author sets the poem by describing it as headlong. David Hand figured out that, Headlong is defined as rushing in a manor which is reckless. This could be describing their “creek”, or love. The love between the lovers was so intimate a that they went with a constant speed, a flow, ignoring the fact that not much thought was being considered. This imagery and symbolism of flow, turns out to flow through the rest of the poem as a strong motif. 

To stick to this motif and also add more details, the author added more exaggerated and visual terms. First, she mentions the creek, then about how it’s so dangerous. A creek is like a peaceful miniature river, known to create calm and satisfying feelings ... yet she portrays it as an adventure (this was an interesting thought we had come up with in my poem group). This shows how every moment the author spent with her lover, was more than it seemed. It is also mentioned that this creek is thawing, which represents a season of change (as Jasmin had put it) . Spring brings about new life, new starts, and is all together a refreshing time. With this sense of freshness, she goes into how all their hesitations, thoughts, flaws, and other negatives are washed away/past. Scruple means hesitation caused from doubt with moral flaws. The creek, or their love, washes these away. 

Towards the end, the author does a great job tying the poem altogether. The “step back” and “grab each other” pieces go together, to signify their need for each other. They also describe their belief to let the old pass and embrace the new, as they still stay in check not to slip back into the past. At least that is my interpretation of the ending, with some influences by my peers in the poem group.