Discussion of 2 poems - Essay Example

Full Things are not as They Seem Fame is wonderful. It gives a person a sense of security and acceptance. A famous person finds assurance that he is important because a lot of people know him and perhaps need him as well. Famous people also have an extreme sense of acceptance especially if they are known for good things. For instance, a wealthy philanthropist is highly appreciated for keeping his feet on the ground, able to reach out to the less fortunate even though he seems to have everything in the world to complete his life.

However, those are not all there is in fame. There are also negative things that famous people encounter in their status. One of the bold statements made about fame in a negative manner is that of the poet Emily Dickenson. She uses metaphor to liken fame to a bee. It is known that a bee can be deadly and that is how the poet wants to paint what this most sought status really is. She implies that behind the good things that people see in fame, things are not always as they seem. Therefore, she uses figurative speech to catch the attention of her audience.

Dickenson’s “Fame is a Bee” is a very short poem but it says a lot of things. The author effectively expressed her thoughts with four lines only by using simple but meaningful words. The analogy therefore is not difficult to understand rather could be easily seen by any observant. It does not even need keen observation in order for a person to be able to associate the characteristics of a bee to fame because it is explicitly mentioned to make things clearly and easily understood by readers.

On the other hand, Edna St. Vincent Millay talks about love in her poem “Love is Not All”. Similarly, she speaks about the unfavorable side of love. For many people, when love is mentioned, they would think about passion and all the good feelings love brings. People easily create a positive attitude toward the subject matter because they associate it with the satisfaction derived from relationships formed through what is known as love. Nevertheless, Millay presents it differently. She draws the attention of her readers to the other side of the coin.

She also uses metaphor to express her thoughts. However, unlike Dickenson, Millay uses negation to show her point. On the seventh line, Millay shifts her tone to a more serious one, mentioning death which could not have been expected at all when love is to be mentioned. The poet tries to draw her reader’s attention to the fact that behind every good thing, there is something that is not desirable yet every individual has to face such truth which is inescapable. She uses a general statement which enlarges the scope of her observation.

The author implies that the audience should not just focus on what is perceived as love but to face the reality that it embodies some bad things as well. She also goes on to mention the more important things such as food and shelter as well as more essential state such as peace. This implies that love is not all that matters in this world if one were to be realistic and honest enough to face the truths. Love can be overcome by need and want of food or peace.