Andrew LiuMrs. LarsonAP English Literature Online8 February 2015BBC Week 2 Make-UpContent Objectives: Analyze the poem "First Now in Alsace" by Richard Wilbur through a student's presentation Find depth in "Burlington Northern, Southbound" and identify the FF elements

This BBC meeting primarily consisted of a discussion of the poem First Now in Alsace and a brief identification of certain core elements of the flash fiction. In the main room of the BBC meeting, we first covered some troubling vocabulary that may further suggest a deeper meaning to the poem. In particular, the presenter interpreted some of the vocabulary in context, which allowed me to grasp a more cohesive understanding of the poem. The group then identified the dramatic situation of the poem as a description of snow falling on different areas, specifically on dead soldiers. We also identified the bodyguard as holding possible significance to the poem, who is extremely diligent about his duties as a guard. The snow seems to be almost personified, seemingly possessing more personality than the speaker. The white powder consciously covers much of the seen, as though it is purposeful. It blankets the horrors of war and attempts to shield the superficial death that occurs as a result. The tone appears to shift from a mood of desolate and horror to hopeful and warm. This suggests the snow attempting to cover up the horrors of the war and shifting away from such a devastating time. It is though the snow symbolizes an omnipotent force that attempts to distract individuals from war. A pure innocence is portrayed in snow which contrasts with the bloody results of war. In accordance to the LARSON acronym, the poem is likely most closely associated with nature and cycles, as the snow seems to be covering up war and signify the changing seasons. The results of war are washed away, and a new day full of growth and nascent attitudes is facilitated. Snow is simply a potential reminder of those hardships. Ultimately, the meaning of the poem could be that nature shields the terrors of war. The essence, however, will always remain, and memories cannot be erased.The second portion of the BBC meeting covered flash fiction. The flash fiction describes a man composing a poem for a girl, who does not respond to the man. He is absolutely devastated with the result. The man is particularly persistent, shy, and awkward, unable to socialize properly with the woman. The man desires a more physical and intimate relationship with the woman, suggesting a plethora of sexual innuendo with the train metaphor. The woman, however, is not at all interested in the man, and the man is comparable to a stalker. As a result, it is suggested that the train is actually a brothel and the man had a sexual encounter with the woman in a previous experience. In the end, the man had fallen in love with the woman, whom the man had simply one sexual experience with. The woman, however, is unable to communicate and develop a relationship with the man simply due to her occupation as a prostitute. The title of the poem, which possesses the word southbound, foreshadows such an inability to develop a relationship with the woman. Flash fiction does, indeed, provide a profound amount of insight in a short and understandable amount of words.