Intentional Arrangements of Words and Phrases in a Number of Poems - Essay Example

One of the major problems that a poet has to always deal with has to do with the limited material that he or she ought to use in expressing his or her ideas and feeling. This is because the words that he or she chooses should always be sound, have meaning, arranged in a certain fashion and also have the ability to interrogate the depth of the human thinking, emotion, and compassion while still remaining simple, natural and self-contained. Fortunately for the poet, the English language has myriads of words to choose from for almost every thought, and numerous methods of arranging these words going by the name “poetic devices,” which can tremendously assist a poet. Words or even a portion of the same can be arranged in such a way that makes them sound clever, soothing or even pleasing to the ear. Others are definitely disgusting and a poet will always go at great depths to avoid using them. We can look at a number of these varied intentional arrangements of words and phrases in a number of poems. “Give” by Simon Armitage In this simple twelve-line-poem that is divided in five-stanzas, Simon assumes a persona of squatter who survives on handout from well-wishers. ‘Simple’ because three of the five stanzas have only two lines while the other two contain three lines each. This poem also has a semblance of symmetry which however deviates slightly from perfect symmetry, which is quiet understandable because perfect symmetry cannot suit the kind of a theme in this poem. The first stanza of this poem is a rhyming couplet, although Simon’s use of enjambment, whereby the first line in the first stanza runs into the second one, creates some awkwardness in the poem. The idea of a rhyme is a little bit less forceful particularly because of the break that occurs after the “scene”. By having the beggar talk to a person that he calls “dear,” Simon creates ambiguity as to whether whoever he is referring to was a person he had a relationship with or just another good friend. Simon use of the phrase “to make a scene” is an idiom that is meant to refer to having an argument. The much a person nears the end of the poem the clearer it becomes that the squatter performs for money and therefore making a scene might as well mean putting-on a show for public viewing. It might as well mean that the “public place,” which seems to have connotation with its former relationship might have witnesses an argument or confrontation between the squatter and his wife. This demonstrates how successful Simon has been in creating ambiguity in this poem. The second stanza opens in a similar manner with the first one, with the phrase “of all.” The squatter tell the next person that he has chosen to sleep in her doorway. Simon applies enjambment in running line three and four, while also using repetition as a literary device in the words “I have chosen.” Instead of a full rhyme as in the first line, Simon uses “yours” and “stars” at the end of line four and five thereby creating a half rhyme. He also uses alliteration with the words “stars” and “street” in the fifth line thereby clarifying the description. Once again we see the use of alliteration in the seventh stanza in the words “for silver, swallow swords,” although in this case it sounds more of a tongue twister. In a nutshell, through the use of enjambment, patterns, repetition, and half-rhyme, Simon has managed to create a superb poem. “Singh Song” by Daljit Nagra In this poem just as is in majority of his poems, Daljit uses Asian tongue and English rhyming and rhythm to make his poem appealing. In Singh Song just as the name suggest, the rhythm come out a bit sing-song-ey, complete with regular beats, in several of initial stanzas. The rhyming on the other hand and particularly in the first stanza works splendidly. As for repetition, we witness a strange use of this literary device which to a larger extent seem to work effectively. For instance, the re-use of the word “9 o’clock” in the second line of the first stanza which is also the only line in that stanza with a stricter rhythm and beats, assists Daljit to illustrate the boredom and the mundanity of working long hour. In the poem we see italicized lines that start with one of his shopper crying ‘hey Singh, ver yoo bin?” which sounds like a chorus in some Indian song. In fact, the successive italicized line at the last stanza of the poem work like musical counterpoint in an Indian movie, just like they interrupt an Indian movie for a Bollywood hero to sing to a girl. Other than the rhyme and its effect being quiet evident and to some people excessive, it enable Daljit to expresses love to his new bride. The same can be said of the repetition in the phrases “my pride” and “my love” both of which are used over and over in order to emphasis his love for this new bride. The poem seems to have a happy ending just as is normally the case with Bollywood movies. In this regard, we have Singh and his new bride going down-stair from where they sit among the goods in the shop staring out at the bright moon from where they make lovey-dovey exchanges. “Horse Whisperer” by Andrew Forster The poem “Horse Whisperer’ by Andrew Forster has five stanzas with varying number of lines. In the first line in the first stanza we have a line that goes like “they shouted for me,” which is meant to offer the poem an aggressive tone that is directed to the narrator. The narrator’s use visual qualities in the first stanza can be seen in the phrases “shimmering muscles,” and “my secret was a spongy tissue, pulled bloody from the mouth of a just-born foal.” Once again, the narrator uses an aggressive tone in the introduction of the second stanza, which is also a classic example of the use of repetition as a literary device. The simile in the words “so I could lead the horses, like helpless children” in the second stanza is in line with the second stanza’s feeling of wickedness and foreboding. This same line could also been looked on as symbolic for the strong horses that are lining up next to the fire in fear. Another symbolic can be found in the third stanza where the narrator says that “the tractor came over the field like a warning” which might be construed to refer to a marked change in the lives of the dwellers occasioned by mechanized agriculture. As for the simile in “as a demon and witch,” it shows just how the population distrusted the narrator. The contrast in the first line in the fourth stanza can be found in the way his “gifts” are to be turned into “revenge.” “Medusa” by Carol Ann Duffy In this poem, Duff starts her monologue by first admitting that thoughts are alive. In this regard, she tells us that thoughts grow, transform and even take on shapes that regroup out of the comfort of the mind before becoming externalized personification of feelings. The dramatic monologue also provides us with curious perspective on Medusa, that of ugliness, terror, exuding fear, and generally terrible looks. In according medusa a chance to vent her frustration in this poem, Duffy seems to be asking us to consider a different view and look at her as a woman who after being betrayed by her husband assumes terrible qualities from which she become well known. The cruel image of “bullet tears” that are ostensibly in her eyes mirrors her stony feelings. Having been changed not just into an object of fear but also a paragon of imperfection via the wayward ways of someone else with physical perfection, Medusa proceeds to issue a terrifying warning in form of a list of his victim that he has had to turn into stone. The pathos or grief in her “wasn’t I fragrant and young?” and “Wasn’t I beautiful”, contrast greatly with her admission of what she has turned into. Ironically, her dream will come camouflaged as a man she adores with “a sword for a tongue” and “a shield for a heart.” The shield in this line reflects her feeling about this man. As for the last line, it is loaded with ambiguity by the way it might indicate both sorrow and resignation on one hand or a desire to have Perseus see her as she ones did on the other one. “On a Portrait of a Deaf Man” by John Betjeman Written by John Betjeman, the poem “On a Portrait of a Deaf Man” is both a moving and honest statement of John’s religious view, or rather absence of them. This poem starts with an unusual stanza with absolutely no verb but a collection of phrases that appears to describe a deaf person. The first phrase is no doubt an affectionate line that shows that he considered his dad to be a good natured man. The rest of the phrases in this stanza looks like they are only referring to clothing, while the oxymoron, “discreet loud” that is in the second line appears to be creating the idea that probably his wearing of a tie with bold color is informed by the need to conform. The use of contrast in this stanza can be found in the phrase “his loosely fitting shooting clothes” and the mention of shroud which follows this phrase. In the whole of the fifth stanza, John evokes fond memories of his dead father. He expresses his deep love for his dead father to a point of exposing to us that he was a painter who had a special liking for “big and bare” scene, even using alliteration to stress the image. His use of repetition in the phrase “He liked…” at the start of both the first and the third stanza is meant to underline his fondness for his father. “The Ruined Maid” by Thomas Hardy Written in 1866, Thomas’ “The Ruined Maid” assumes a form of a dialogue between two young ladies who worked together previously in a farm before parting ways. The first thing that the first girl notes from the other one by the name Amelia in this reunion is her complete transformation, which Amelia attributes to her being “ruined,” or becoming a prostitute. This poem has six quatrains or stanzas with four lines. One of the overriding literary devices in the first stanza is contrast. In this regard, we have the first girls being mesmerized by the first girl’s fine garments which she sees a sign of prosperity but Amelia attributes to being “ruined.” Another literary device that we see in the poem is the use of metaphor. In this regard, we have the girl narrating how Amelia’s hand were like “paws,” implying that her hands were dirty and rough. She also says that her face was “blue and bleak” meaning that she was unattractive and probably unhealthy. However, her skin has changed and now it is “delicate” implying that it is now fair and smooth. The use of repetition in this poem is evident in the way Amelia uses the words “said she” at the end of every stanza in a way that gives it a light-hearted quality. Thomas’ use of the word “ruined” in the title also appears to have been informed by the need to make it ambiguous. This is because this word can either mean that she was morally ruined as is the case or even poor. “The Clown Punk” by Simon Armitage In the poem “the clown Punk,” Simon explores and explains the ideas, themes, attitudes, and feelings behind the “clown punk” while still considering the language, form, and structure of this poem that are connected to its central ideas. One of the ways in which he presents the clown punk can be found in the first line of the first stanza when he states “driving home through the shonky side of town.” The word ‘shonky’ carries all the weight. This is because it does not only make that town look unpleasant but also run-down. Therefore this forces us to think of this town as poor, before giving us the impression of a clown punk in old clothes and long unkempt hair. I belief that it was important for Simon to put this statement in the very first line because that way it gives us an image to ponder about in course of the entire poem. In the third line in the first stanza we have the narrator saying how you will see “town clown like a basket of washing that got up…,” where the use of simile is quiet evident. The use of simile in this stanza implies that the narrator is dressed eccentrically which to the town dwellers looks unkempt and scruffy. The narrator’s use of the assonance or rhyme in the first and second line of the first stanza is meant to emphasize how they see the narrator not just as a joke but also something amusing. The oxymoron “clown punk” in the title shows how people look at the narrator as a ridiculous figure. Brendon Gallacher by Jackie Kay Divided into five stanzas with four lines each, the poem “Brendon Gallacher” by Jackie Kay is a moving literary piece talking about growing up. One of the things that it exposes as far as growing is concerned are the various problems that Jackie encountered while growing up and particular issues of freedom. Freedom here can be seen in line fourteen where we have Brendon conveying this freedom with the words “I like meeting him by the burn in the open air,” where the idea of emptiness in the words “open air” gives an idea of freedom. In this poem we have Brendon Gallacher conversing with an imaginary friend in this case a “Mrs. Moir” which can be implied to mean that he had problem in his childhood which he used to escape through thinking about imaginary people. The language in this poem is not only very strong but also most of it comprise of personification. The use of contrasts in “Brendon Gallacher by Jackie Kay” is evident from the first line all the way to the last line of the entire first stanza. In this case we have him using contrasts in “he was seven, and I was six….” “He was Irish and I was Scottish….., “ “His father was in prison, he was a cat burglar” and “he had six brothers and I had one.” The use of repetition is also evident in the entire first stanza if the words “my Brendon Gallacher” in the first, second and last line in the first stanza is anything to go by. In the second stanza, the use of colloquial Scottish is the dominant feature. In this regard, one needs to look at the word “wee” in the fourth line in the second stanza which say “A wee holiday some place nice. Some place far.” Les Grands Seigneurs by Dorothy Molloy The poem “Les Grands seigneurs’ by Dorothy Molloy has a woman talking of herself and particularly her special liking for men and their company. In explaining how she like being surrounded by men, she says “men were my buttresses, my castellated towers,” which to me imply that her liking for their company is driven solely by the security that she get or expect to get from such men. She uses the metaphors “bright color” and “bird” to describe how handsome the men of her liking are. Her use of the metaphor “seal” in the line “my performing seal” implies that her liking of men is at best self-serving and at worst selfish. This is because seals normally follow instructions from their instructor which in our case therefore can be construed to mean that she uses men in similar fashion. This self-serving nature of his relationship with men is further betrayed by her reference to them using the words “the ballast in my hold” and also the way he severally calls them “my.” She is however quick to register her eventual disappointment with men especially after she has been married. This can be found in the words “but after I was wedded, bedded, I became a toy.” A toy here is a metaphor which is meant to describe how she was mistreated afterwards. Another metaphor can be found in the words “my husband clicked’ which can be construed to imply changed time, simply because she means that when her husband clicked his finger she was supposed to obey whatever he wanted which she did. Checking Out Me History by John Agard The poem “Checkin’ out me History” by John Agard has been written in dialectical English, where John’s efforts at capturing the natural sound and phraseology of a certain Caribbean dialect are evident. This is significantly particularly when looked in the context of the fact that one of the greatest themes of this poem has something to do with personal identity. Each and every community has accent, words, dialect and phrases that assist in attaching its members to a certain place that they reside. This is of importance to John and especially because his poem seems to relate to his heritage and the European-history of his people as told by the colonialists vis-a-viz their African-history. This therefore suggests that his use of Caribbean dialect in this poem is an extension of his expression of his individuality and background or cultural heritage. The poet appears to create an “us” versus “them” narrative structure immediately he set-off in what appear more of a long harangue of his western education and it deliberate omission of the black history in its curriculum. In the poem, the repetition in the words “Dem tell me” and “Dem tell me” in the first two lines of the first stanza is rhythmic. In fact the small line in these two lines calls attention to the word “Dem” in a harsh tone, a tone that get more specific as the poem proceeds to the two subsequent longer lines. In these two longer lines, “bandage up me eye with me own history” and “blind me to own identity,” the narrator accuses “Dem” of giving him things that blinded him from his own history, and therefore his own sense. Other than the contrast in the line which is manifested in the unrelated words “bandage” and “history,” there is also the symbolism in the words “bandage” which appears to connote the injury and violence that probably characterized the forcible restriction of his past. John use of contrast as a literary tool is further seen in the way he has interspersed with what he consider important in his African heritage with what he consider common children stories that are taught in English school. This can be found in what can pass out as one of the most derogatory pairing of history and fairy tales as can be seen the words, “dem tell me bout de dish run away with de spoon,” which is basically a children story, and “but dem never tell me bout nanny de maroon,” which is more important to him because it talks of the famed Jamaican freedom fighter. The same technique is used in the words “dem tell me about ole King Cole was a merry ole soul,” and “but dem never tell me bout Mary Seacole.” The poem lack of punctuation can be used as the poet disregard of Standard English which is in order because it is the same thing that he appears to be criticized. As for the double negatives that are, “no” and “never” in the last lines of the first stanza, we can say that they have slightly changed the sing-song rhythm of the first two line. The story of Toussaint in the second stanza sound almost like a chant that suggests double voices, i.e. oratory and plural voice. The same can be said of the following lines, although they tell the story in fragments before closing with the line, ‘to Freedom River,” which to me is quiet un-rhythmic. References Betjeman, J. 1979. On a portrait of a Deaf Man - Poems from the Literary Heritage. New York: Garrai Eoin Dillon, J, 1981. Contemporary Poems - Armitage, Simon. “The Clown Punk”. New York: Garrai Eoin. Dillon, J, 1981. Contemporary Poems - Forster, Andrew. “Horse Whisperer.” New York: Garrai Eoin. Dillon, J, 1981. Contemporary Poems - Kay, Jackie. “Brendon Gallacher.” New York: Garrai Eoin. Dillon, J, 1981. Contemporary Poems - Nagra, Daljit. “Singh Song.” New York: Garrai Eoin. Dillon, J, 1981. Contemporary Poems -Armitage, Simon “Give.” New York: Garrai Eoin. Dillon, Johnat, 1981. Contemporary Poems - Duffy, A., Carol. “Medusa.” New York: Garrai Eoin. Poems from the Literary Heritage.1979, Agard, John, “Checking Out me History” New York: Garrai Eoin. Poems from the Literary Heritage.1979, Hardy, Thomas. “The Ruined Maid”. New York: Garrai Eoin. Poems from the Literary Heritage.1979, Molloy, Dorothy, “Les Grands Seigneurs” New York: Garrai Eoin. Read More