Entry 1.3 Poetry Symbolism

     The poem I chose is called The Amulet, by Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803- 1882).  He is an American poet, philosopher, lecturer, and essay writer.  He was influenced in Eastern philosphies as well as Romanticism during that period and was know to be very spiritual.  He started the American Transcendental Movenent which had to do with individualistic intuition and self reliance.

The Amulet
by Ralph Waldo Emerson

Your picture smiles as first it smiled,
The ring you gave is still the same,
Your letter tells, O changing child,
No tidings since it came.

Give me an amulet
That keeps intelligence with you,
Red when you love, and rosier red,
And when you love not, pale and blue.

Alas, that neither bonds nor vows
Can certify possession;
Torments me still the fear that love
Died in its last expression.

Symbols

amulet:
connotation- talisman, for protection. used in different religions.
denotation- lucky charm, threatened by evil, spirits,

picture:
connotation- representation by various means: painting, photograph, drawing.
denotation- memories

ring:
connotation- solid, circular object. jewelry around a finger.
denotation- continuous, infinite, love, marrige, unity, a well

letter:
connotation- a symbol in the alphabet, a printed message
denotation- missing someone, poets, love, romanticism

child:
connotation- a young person
denotation- mischevious, innocent, pure

intelligence:
connotation- the ability to learn
denotation- divinity, God, aliens

red:
connotation- like a rose in color, one of the primary colors
denotation- love, sensuality, sexuality, excitement

pale:
connotation- light in color
denotation- death, dying, decay, sullen, sad

blue:
connotation- like the sky in color.  one of the primary colors
denotation- sad, depressed, strength, masculine

vows:
connotation- one by which a person is bound to an act, service, or condition
denotation- marrige, promises

possession:
connotation- to belong to
denotation- exorcism, abuse, smother, demons

fear:
connotation- to be afraid of
denotation- scary, alone, darkness, shadows

     In this poem, I feel Emerson is missing someone he once loved.  He talks about a picture of someone who is smiling in which it seems he misses the smile the person had.  Also, that The ring gave is still the same, makes me believe there might have been some kind of marrige involved.  It has to do with someone who is also not near since a letter is received and that the person is a changing child, so they must be turning into an adult. 
     In the 2nd stanza, Emerson asks for an amulet that keeps intelligence in it which could mean something that will protect and have a divine nature to it.  He uses the word red in talking about love and how when it is absent, she is pale and blue- which could only mean sad and depressed. 
     In the last stanza, it seems that Emerson is stating that no connection or promises could prove that she belongs to him.  He seems heartbroken when he wrote,  fear that love Died in its last expression - which only seems that the love he had for this person may not be mutual anymore which tortures him now.


Sources:

www.emersoncentral.com/poems/amulet.htm

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary

http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Transcendental+movement

http://www.online-literature.com/emerson/