The Right Words
The difference between the right word and
the almost right word is the difference between
lightening and lightening bugs.
--Mark Twain, The Wit and Wisdom of Mark Twain
But what makes a word a "best" word? That's where taste and opinion and gut feeling come in. Let's explore this now, by looking at a few devices poets use to make the most of the words they choose.
Compression, in poetry is used to pack more of an emotional punch. This does not mean than all poems need to be short, nor does it mean that they need to contain a short-form of what's going on. What compression involves is a condensation of images, or facts, sometimes employing synecdoche, symbols, allusions... Making the most of the words you're using, letting one image or experience stand in for many.
In this next poem by Tony Hoagland, he reminisces but does not give us a sentimental memory, or just one particular day. He does not use difficult words, either. He compresses a bunch of days into one and then presents that, as if it were universal. If he had said, "there was this one day, we were drinking on the back porch, and man, I miss that day, and those guys," it would not feel as timeless or as important as what he's given us here. He's also used the present tense, which gives us both immediacy and a suspended feeling as we read it. We are there, in the poem with the speaker. We miss what he misses.
Jet
Sometimes I wish I were still out
on the back porch, drinking jet fuel
with the boys, getting louder and louder
as the empty cans drop out of our paws
like booster rockets falling back to Earth
and we soar up into the summer stars.
Summer. The big sky river rushes overhead,
bearing asteroids and mist, blind fish
and old space suits with skeletons inside.
On Earth, men celebrate their hairiness,
and it is good, a way of letting life
out of the box, uncapping the bottle
to let the effervescence gush
through the narrow, usually constricted neck.
And now the crickets plug in their appliances
in unison, and then the fireflies flash
dots and dashes in the grass, like punctuation
for the labyrinthine, untrue tales of sex
someone is telling in the dark, though
no one really hears. We gaze into the night
as if remembering the bright unbroken planet
we once came from,
to which we will never
be permitted to return.
We are amazed how hurt we are.
We would give anything for what we have.
--Tony Hoagland, 1953
In this next poem by Tony Hoagland, he reminisces but does not give us a sentimental memory, or just one particular day. He does not use difficult words, either. He compresses a bunch of days into one and then presents that, as if it were universal. If he had said, "there was this one day, we were drinking on the back porch, and man, I miss that day, and those guys," it would not feel as timeless or as important as what he's given us here. He's also used the present tense, which gives us both immediacy and a suspended feeling as we read it. We are there, in the poem with the speaker. We miss what he misses.
Jet
Sometimes I wish I were still out
on the back porch, drinking jet fuel
with the boys, getting louder and louder
as the empty cans drop out of our paws
like booster rockets falling back to Earth
and we soar up into the summer stars.
Summer. The big sky river rushes overhead,
bearing asteroids and mist, blind fish
and old space suits with skeletons inside.
On Earth, men celebrate their hairiness,
and it is good, a way of letting life
out of the box, uncapping the bottle
to let the effervescence gush
through the narrow, usually constricted neck.
And now the crickets plug in their appliances
in unison, and then the fireflies flash
dots and dashes in the grass, like punctuation
for the labyrinthine, untrue tales of sex
someone is telling in the dark, though
no one really hears. We gaze into the night
as if remembering the bright unbroken planet
we once came from,
to which we will never
be permitted to return.
We are amazed how hurt we are.
We would give anything for what we have.
--Tony Hoagland, 1953
Poetry Writing #16 : "Jet" Freewrite
- Is there one word in this poem that works extra hard, or is just the perfect word for the way the poet is using it?
- Is there a word that surprised you when you read it?
- Is there anything that made you laugh?
Write these words down in your journal at the top of a page. Try a freewrite poem using the words you chose from the poem, and see if you can use at least one of the words in an unexpected way, i.e., out of context.
See if you can startle your reader with an unlikely comparison.
Poetic Devices
Apostrophe
A figure of speech consisting of words addressing an inanimate object, abstract idea, or deceased individual as though that object, idea, or person were alive; also, words addressing an absent person as though he were present
· Note in the next poem the Apostrophe is the direct address to “Death” in order to “put it in its place,” or in proper perspective
· Personification is also used, “Death” is likened to a human being who behaves proudly, but is flawed and ultimately mortal itself
Death, be not proud (Holy Sonnet 10)
Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;
For those whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which by thy pictures be,
Much pleasure, then from thee much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery.
Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,
And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well,
And better than thy stroke; why swell’st thou then?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die
----John Donne, 1572 - 1631
A figure of speech consisting of words addressing an inanimate object, abstract idea, or deceased individual as though that object, idea, or person were alive; also, words addressing an absent person as though he were present
· Note in the next poem the Apostrophe is the direct address to “Death” in order to “put it in its place,” or in proper perspective
· Personification is also used, “Death” is likened to a human being who behaves proudly, but is flawed and ultimately mortal itself
Death, be not proud (Holy Sonnet 10)
Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;
For those whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which by thy pictures be,
Much pleasure, then from thee much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery.
Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,
And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well,
And better than thy stroke; why swell’st thou then?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die
----John Donne, 1572 - 1631
Understatement
Describes the deliberate downplaying of something as being less than it is. The effect is somewhat subtle and sometimes humorous. Example: “I have been dead all winter/No one has noticed it” (See: Szumigalski’s, “The Weather” below)
Hyperbole
A figure of speech that makes conscious use of exaggeration for emphasis, serious, or humorous effect. Example: “It’s raining cats and dogs”
Note the use of hyperbole in the following poem, "You Take My Hand"
You Take My Hand
You take my hand and
I’m suddenly in a bad movie,
it goes on and on and
why am I fascinated
We waltz in slow motion
through an air stale with aphorism
we meet behind endless potted palms
you climb through the wrong windows
Other people are leaving
but I always stay till the end
I paid the money, I
want to see what happens
In chance bathtubs I have to
peel you off me
in the form of smoke and melted
celluloid
Have to face it I’m
finally an addict,
the smell of popcorn and worn plush
lingers for weeks
----Margaret Atwood
Atwood uses hyperbole in lines such as “we meet behind endless potted palms,” I have to/peel you off me/in the form of smoke and melted/celluloid,” and “the smell of popcorn and worn plush/lingers for week.” Her point in using hyperbole is to describe her mixed feelings about this relationship and its awkward blend of humorous romance and reality.
Describes the deliberate downplaying of something as being less than it is. The effect is somewhat subtle and sometimes humorous. Example: “I have been dead all winter/No one has noticed it” (See: Szumigalski’s, “The Weather” below)
Hyperbole
A figure of speech that makes conscious use of exaggeration for emphasis, serious, or humorous effect. Example: “It’s raining cats and dogs”
Note the use of hyperbole in the following poem, "You Take My Hand"
You Take My Hand
You take my hand and
I’m suddenly in a bad movie,
it goes on and on and
why am I fascinated
We waltz in slow motion
through an air stale with aphorism
we meet behind endless potted palms
you climb through the wrong windows
Other people are leaving
but I always stay till the end
I paid the money, I
want to see what happens
In chance bathtubs I have to
peel you off me
in the form of smoke and melted
celluloid
Have to face it I’m
finally an addict,
the smell of popcorn and worn plush
lingers for weeks
----Margaret Atwood
Atwood uses hyperbole in lines such as “we meet behind endless potted palms,” I have to/peel you off me/in the form of smoke and melted/celluloid,” and “the smell of popcorn and worn plush/lingers for week.” Her point in using hyperbole is to describe her mixed feelings about this relationship and its awkward blend of humorous romance and reality.
Synecdoche
A figure of speech in which part is made to represent the whole or vice-versa.
There are several different forms of synecdoche examples including:
Here are examples of each type of synecdoche:
Part to Represent Whole
It is common in our language for part of something to be used to represent the whole.
Using the whole to refer to a part is also a common practice in speech today.
Class as Representing the Whole
A large group or class is sometimes used to represent a portion of it.
Specific Part Representing A Whole
Sometimes a specific thing is used to denote an entire class or group of things.
Material Representing an Object
The material used to make something, or that was used in the past, is often used to represent the entire object.
Lastly, the name of a container may be used to denote its contents.
A figure of speech in which a closely associated part or attribute is substituted for the thing itself.
Understanding the context of a metonymy is important. For example, the word "pen" is not always standing in for the written word; often, it just refers to the physical object of a pen.
The examples below include both the metonymy and the possible words for which the metonymy would fill in:
Synecdoche vs Metonymy
It is easy to confuse synecdoche and metonymy because they both use a word or phrase to represent something else. They could also both be considered metaphors because the word or words used are not taken literally.
However:
(Source: http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-synecdoche.html)
Notice the use of understatement, synecdoche and metonymy in the following poem, "The Weather"
The Weather
You are reading to me
You spread the newspaper out
Across your knees
It crackles dully as you fold back the pages
Your heavy thumbs
Pressing along the creases
Leave a grey smear
PLANE DOWN ON THE BARRENS
You read
BOY TORN BY HUSKIES
TWO PERISH IN BLIZZARD
You voice is warm and exultant
I have been dead all winter
On one has noticed it
My bones, sewed up in a cheerful
Print sack, balanced on the seat of a chair
Answer all your questions
My skull nods
I creak as I bow from the waist
Agreeing—always agreeing
I shuffle into the kitchen to make tea
Soft dust rises from the floor
I pour and pour
The cups remain empty
--Anne Szumigalski
In Szumiglaski’s poem, the lines “I have been dead all winter/no one has noticed it” would be an example of understatement. The irony of the situation is that the speaker’s partner has been reading about death in the newspaper all winter, but failed to notice the speaker’s death. The effect of this is to emphasize the speaker’s sense of isolation and alienation from her partner. When the speaker says “my bones” and “my skull,” she is referring, respectively, to her whole physical self and mind. These examples of synecdoche again reinforce the idea of the speaker’s alienation from her partner , as well as her mental and physical self. An example of metonymy in this poem is the expression “print sack,” as a substitute for the word “dress.”
A figure of speech in which part is made to represent the whole or vice-versa.
There are several different forms of synecdoche examples including:
- A synecdoche may use part of something to represent the entire whole.
- It may use an entire whole thing to represent a part of it.
- It can use a word or phrase as a class that will express less or more than the word or phrase actually means.
- It may use a group of things that refer to a larger group or use a large group to refer to a smaller group.
- A synecdoche may also refer to an object by the material it is made from or refer to the contents in a container by the name of the container.
Here are examples of each type of synecdoche:
Part to Represent Whole
It is common in our language for part of something to be used to represent the whole.
- The word “bread” can be used to represent food in general or money (e.g. he is the breadwinner; music is my bread and butter).
- The word “sails” is often used to refer to a whole ship.
- The phrase "hired hands" can be used to refer to workmen.
- The word "head" refers to cattle.
- The word "wheels" refers to a vehicle.
Using the whole to refer to a part is also a common practice in speech today.
- At the Olympics, you will hear that Canada won a gold medal in an event. That actually means a team from the Canada, not the country as a whole.
- If “the world” is not treating you well, that would not be the entire world but just a part of it that you've encountered.
- The word "society" is often used to refer to high society or the social elite.
- The word "police" can be used to represent only one or a few police officers.
Class as Representing the Whole
A large group or class is sometimes used to represent a portion of it.
- One example of this is referring to the United States as “America” when the “Americas” is actually made up of many countries.
- "Milk" is commonly used to refer to cow's milk when, in reality there are many sources of milk.
Specific Part Representing A Whole
Sometimes a specific thing is used to denote an entire class or group of things.
- Asking someone to put their “John Hancock” on a document refers to anyone putting their signature there.
- Facial tissue is often referred to as "Kleenex"
Material Representing an Object
The material used to make something, or that was used in the past, is often used to represent the entire object.
- Silverware or dishes made of silver may be called “silver” even if they aren't sold silver.
- The word “plastic” is commonly used to refer to credit cards.
- The word "ivories" is often used to denote piano keys, even though the keys are no longer made of ivory.
- When a golfer plays with their "woods" they are referring to their longest golf clubs.
- The word "lead" is commonly used to refer to bullets.
Lastly, the name of a container may be used to denote its contents.
- One example is using the word “barrel” for a barrel of oil or beer.
- A "keg" is used to refer to a keg of beer.
A figure of speech in which a closely associated part or attribute is substituted for the thing itself.
Understanding the context of a metonymy is important. For example, the word "pen" is not always standing in for the written word; often, it just refers to the physical object of a pen.
The examples below include both the metonymy and the possible words for which the metonymy would fill in:
- Crown - in place of a royal person
- The suits - in place of business people
- Dish - for an entire plate of food
- Cup - for a mug
- Ears - for giving attention ("Lend me your ears!" from Mark Antony in Julius Caesar)
- Eyes - for sight
- The library - for the staff or the books
- Pen - for the written word
- Sword - for military might
- Hand - for help
- The name of a country - used in place of the government, economy, etc.
- The name of a church - used in place of its individual members
- The name of a sports team - used in place of its individual members
Synecdoche vs Metonymy
It is easy to confuse synecdoche and metonymy because they both use a word or phrase to represent something else. They could also both be considered metaphors because the word or words used are not taken literally.
However:
- A synecdoche uses part for the whole or the whole for a part.
- A metonymy is a substitution where a word or phrase is used in place of another word or phrase. A good example is the phrase “The pen is mightier than the sword.” The word “pen” substitutes for written work, and the word “sword” substitutes for violence or warfare.
(Source: http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-synecdoche.html)
Notice the use of understatement, synecdoche and metonymy in the following poem, "The Weather"
The Weather
You are reading to me
You spread the newspaper out
Across your knees
It crackles dully as you fold back the pages
Your heavy thumbs
Pressing along the creases
Leave a grey smear
PLANE DOWN ON THE BARRENS
You read
BOY TORN BY HUSKIES
TWO PERISH IN BLIZZARD
You voice is warm and exultant
I have been dead all winter
On one has noticed it
My bones, sewed up in a cheerful
Print sack, balanced on the seat of a chair
Answer all your questions
My skull nods
I creak as I bow from the waist
Agreeing—always agreeing
I shuffle into the kitchen to make tea
Soft dust rises from the floor
I pour and pour
The cups remain empty
--Anne Szumigalski
In Szumiglaski’s poem, the lines “I have been dead all winter/no one has noticed it” would be an example of understatement. The irony of the situation is that the speaker’s partner has been reading about death in the newspaper all winter, but failed to notice the speaker’s death. The effect of this is to emphasize the speaker’s sense of isolation and alienation from her partner. When the speaker says “my bones” and “my skull,” she is referring, respectively, to her whole physical self and mind. These examples of synecdoche again reinforce the idea of the speaker’s alienation from her partner , as well as her mental and physical self. An example of metonymy in this poem is the expression “print sack,” as a substitute for the word “dress.”
Satire
A form of light verse notable for its wit and ridicule. A writer of satire uses fictional characters, which stand for real people, to expose and condemn their corruption. A writer may point a satire toward a person, a country or even the entire world. Usually, a satire is a comical piece of writing which makes fun of an individual or a society to expose the ridiculous and the society/individuals shortcomings. In addition, the writer hopes that those that are criticized will improve their characters by overcoming their weaknesses.
On Mona's Smile
I know what brought
that expression to her face.
During one of her sittings
Leo said to her, "You known, Mona
you're very intelligent
for a woman."
--Winona Baker
Baker's "On Mona's Smile" pretends to explain the mystery that has intrigued the curious for many years: the reason for Mona Lisa's smile. In her poem, Baker satirizes chauvinistic attitudes and points to the need for change in the ways that men view women.
Irony
A general term describing a recognized discrepancy or incongruity in meaning. The most common types are verbal irony (the difference between what is said and what is meant/intended), dramatic irony (the difference between what the audience knows and what a character believes to be true), and situational irony (the difference between expectation and fulfillment, or between what is experienced and what would seem appropriate).
In Winona Baker's poem, "Mona Lisa's Smile," she wryly suggests that Mona Lisa may, in fact, be smiling because she already knows that she is intelligent, more possibly than "Leo."
A form of light verse notable for its wit and ridicule. A writer of satire uses fictional characters, which stand for real people, to expose and condemn their corruption. A writer may point a satire toward a person, a country or even the entire world. Usually, a satire is a comical piece of writing which makes fun of an individual or a society to expose the ridiculous and the society/individuals shortcomings. In addition, the writer hopes that those that are criticized will improve their characters by overcoming their weaknesses.
- The intention of satire is to improve humanity by criticizing its follies and foibles The writer considers it her obligation to expose these vices for the betterment of humanity. Therefore, the function of satire is not to make others laugh at persons or ideas they make fun of. It intends to warn the public and to change their opinions about the prevailing corruption/conditions in society.
On Mona's Smile
I know what brought
that expression to her face.
During one of her sittings
Leo said to her, "You known, Mona
you're very intelligent
for a woman."
--Winona Baker
Baker's "On Mona's Smile" pretends to explain the mystery that has intrigued the curious for many years: the reason for Mona Lisa's smile. In her poem, Baker satirizes chauvinistic attitudes and points to the need for change in the ways that men view women.
Irony
A general term describing a recognized discrepancy or incongruity in meaning. The most common types are verbal irony (the difference between what is said and what is meant/intended), dramatic irony (the difference between what the audience knows and what a character believes to be true), and situational irony (the difference between expectation and fulfillment, or between what is experienced and what would seem appropriate).
In Winona Baker's poem, "Mona Lisa's Smile," she wryly suggests that Mona Lisa may, in fact, be smiling because she already knows that she is intelligent, more possibly than "Leo."
"Talking Points / Eggheads" by John Koethe
"What sent me on this memory trip was the realization/That stupidity was in style again, in style with a vengeance--..." How is satire and irony used in the following poem? So, is use of the word, "egghead" an example of synecdoche or metonymy? |
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Swallowing a Poem #9: "Picketing Supermarkets"
- Take a look at how Wayman has created the poem’s strongly critical tone—identify the different examples of irony used here?
- In what way does the poet’s use of understatement support his tone?
- Are there any examples of satire?
Picketing Supermarkets
Because all this food is grown in the store
Do not take the leaflet.
Cabbages, broccoli and tomatoes
Are raised at night in the aisles.
Milk is brewed in the rear storage areas.
Beef produced in vats in the basement.
Do not take the leaflet.
Peanut butter and soft drinks
Are made fresh each morning by store employees.
Our oranges and grapes
Are so fine and round
That when held up to the lights they cast no shadow.
Do not take the leaflet.
And should you take on
Do not believe it.
This chain of stores has no connections
With anyone growing food someplace else.
How could we have an effect on local farmers?
Do not believe it.
The sound here is Muzak, for your enjoyment.
It is not the sound of children crying.
There is a lady offering samples
To mark Canada Cheese Month.
There is no dark-skinned man with black hair beside her
Wanting to show you the inside of a coffin.
You would not have to look if there was.
And there are no Nicaraguan heroes
In any way connected to the bananas.
Pay no attentions to these people.
The manager is a citizen.
All the food is grown in the store.
--Tom Wayman
Image 1: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/Mona_Lisa.jpg
Image 2:http://thenextweb.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2011/01/supermarket.jpg
Because all this food is grown in the store
Do not take the leaflet.
Cabbages, broccoli and tomatoes
Are raised at night in the aisles.
Milk is brewed in the rear storage areas.
Beef produced in vats in the basement.
Do not take the leaflet.
Peanut butter and soft drinks
Are made fresh each morning by store employees.
Our oranges and grapes
Are so fine and round
That when held up to the lights they cast no shadow.
Do not take the leaflet.
And should you take on
Do not believe it.
This chain of stores has no connections
With anyone growing food someplace else.
How could we have an effect on local farmers?
Do not believe it.
The sound here is Muzak, for your enjoyment.
It is not the sound of children crying.
There is a lady offering samples
To mark Canada Cheese Month.
There is no dark-skinned man with black hair beside her
Wanting to show you the inside of a coffin.
You would not have to look if there was.
And there are no Nicaraguan heroes
In any way connected to the bananas.
Pay no attentions to these people.
The manager is a citizen.
All the food is grown in the store.
--Tom Wayman
Image 1: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/Mona_Lisa.jpg
Image 2:http://thenextweb.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2011/01/supermarket.jpg
Allusion
Allusion means 'reference. It is a literary device that stimulates ideas, associations, and extra information in the reader's mind with only a word or two. It is a brief, undeveloped reference to a presumably familiar place, event, or figure from history, literature, mythology, or the Bible'.
-- It relies on the reader being able to understand the allusion and being familiar with all of the meaning hidden behind the words.
-- Allusions in writing help the reader to visualize what's happening by evoking a mental picture. But the reader must be aware of the allusion and must be familiar with what it alludes to.
"Christy didn't like to spend money. She was no Scrooge, but she seldom purchased anything except the bare necessities".
Did you spot the allusion to Scrooge? That name should bring to mind an image of someone who 'pinches pennies' and hoards money with a passion. But the allusion only works if the reader is familiar with Charles Dickens' story 'A Christmas Carol'.
In Winona Baker's poem, "Mona Lisa's Smile" the allusion is the enigmatic smile of the Mona Lisa, the subject of the famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci.
Allusion means 'reference. It is a literary device that stimulates ideas, associations, and extra information in the reader's mind with only a word or two. It is a brief, undeveloped reference to a presumably familiar place, event, or figure from history, literature, mythology, or the Bible'.
-- It relies on the reader being able to understand the allusion and being familiar with all of the meaning hidden behind the words.
-- Allusions in writing help the reader to visualize what's happening by evoking a mental picture. But the reader must be aware of the allusion and must be familiar with what it alludes to.
"Christy didn't like to spend money. She was no Scrooge, but she seldom purchased anything except the bare necessities".
Did you spot the allusion to Scrooge? That name should bring to mind an image of someone who 'pinches pennies' and hoards money with a passion. But the allusion only works if the reader is familiar with Charles Dickens' story 'A Christmas Carol'.
In Winona Baker's poem, "Mona Lisa's Smile" the allusion is the enigmatic smile of the Mona Lisa, the subject of the famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci.
Oxymoron
A figure of speech in which two words of contradictory meaning are deliberately placed side-by-side. Oxymoron typically conveys mixed feelings and conflict, note the use of oxymoron in the following lines from Romeo and Juliet:
Romeo: …O brawling love! O loving hate!
O anything, of nothing first create!
O heavy lightness! Serious vanity!
Mis-shapen chaos of well-seeming forms!
Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick heath
Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is!
Paradox
A statement that, on first reading, appears to be self-contradictory (saying the opposite things), but that, on closer examination, proves to be true.
Read the following poem, The Snow Man by Wallace Stevens. Note the paradox in the lines of poetry.
A figure of speech in which two words of contradictory meaning are deliberately placed side-by-side. Oxymoron typically conveys mixed feelings and conflict, note the use of oxymoron in the following lines from Romeo and Juliet:
Romeo: …O brawling love! O loving hate!
O anything, of nothing first create!
O heavy lightness! Serious vanity!
Mis-shapen chaos of well-seeming forms!
Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick heath
Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is!
Paradox
A statement that, on first reading, appears to be self-contradictory (saying the opposite things), but that, on closer examination, proves to be true.
Read the following poem, The Snow Man by Wallace Stevens. Note the paradox in the lines of poetry.
The Snow Man
One must have a mind of winter
To regard the frost and the boughs
Of the pine-trees crusted with snow;
And have been cold a long time
To behold the junipers shagged with ice,
The spruces rough in the distant glitter
Of the January sun; and not to think
Of any misery in the sound of the wind,
In the sound of a few leaves,
Which is the sound of the land
Full of the same wind
That is blowing in the same bare place
For the listener, who listens in the snow,
And, nothing himself, beholds
Nothing that is not there and the nothing that is.
----Wallace Stevens
One must have a mind of winter
To regard the frost and the boughs
Of the pine-trees crusted with snow;
And have been cold a long time
To behold the junipers shagged with ice,
The spruces rough in the distant glitter
Of the January sun; and not to think
Of any misery in the sound of the wind,
In the sound of a few leaves,
Which is the sound of the land
Full of the same wind
That is blowing in the same bare place
For the listener, who listens in the snow,
And, nothing himself, beholds
Nothing that is not there and the nothing that is.
----Wallace Stevens
Anaphora
The literary device in which the deliberate repetition of the first part of the sentence helps to achieve an artistic effect. Anaphora, possibly the oldest literary device, has its roots in Biblical Psalms used to emphasize certain words or phrases. Gradually, Elizabethan and Romantic writers brought this device into practice.
William Blake in his poem “The Tyger” goes:
“What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?”
The repetition of a series of questions which start with “what” creates a rhythm that creates the effect of awe in readers.
Source: http://literarydevices.net/anaphora/
The literary device in which the deliberate repetition of the first part of the sentence helps to achieve an artistic effect. Anaphora, possibly the oldest literary device, has its roots in Biblical Psalms used to emphasize certain words or phrases. Gradually, Elizabethan and Romantic writers brought this device into practice.
- Apart from the function of giving prominence to ideas, the use of anaphora in literature adds rhythm to it and thus, making it more pleasurable to read and easier to remember. As a literary device, anaphora serves the purpose of furnishing artistic effect to the passages of prose and poetry.
- As a rhetorical device, it is used to appeal to the emotions of the audience in order to persuade, inspire, motivate and encourage them.
William Blake in his poem “The Tyger” goes:
“What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?”
The repetition of a series of questions which start with “what” creates a rhythm that creates the effect of awe in readers.
Source: http://literarydevices.net/anaphora/
Note the use of anaphora in Magaret Atwood's poem, "Variation On The Word Sleep"
Variation on the Word Sleep I would like to watch you sleeping. I would like to watch you, sleeping. I would like to sleep with you, to enter your sleep as its smooth dark wave slides over my head and walk with you through that lucent wavering forest of bluegreen leaves with its watery sun and three moons towards the cave where you must descend, towards your worst fear I would like to give you the silver branch, the small white flower, the one word that will protect you from the grief at the center of your dream, from the grief at the center. I would like to follow you up the long stairway again & become the boat that would row you back carefully, a flame in two cupped hands to where your body lies beside me, and you enter it as easily as breathing in I would like to be the air that inhabits you for a moment only. I would like to be that unnoticed and that necessary ---Margaret Atwood From Selected Poems II: 1976-1986 by Margaret Atwood. Copyright © 1987 by Margaret Atwood. Reprinted by permission of Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved |
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Poetry Writing #17: Anaphora
Write a poem, using one of the following phrases at least four times. You can begin each stanza with the phrase, if you're writing in stanzas, or just repeat the phrase as you move through your poem. Feel free to use any of the literary/poetic devices listed above.
1. If only
2. I want
3. Because we were…
4. Take my hand
5. It doesn't matter
Write a poem, using one of the following phrases at least four times. You can begin each stanza with the phrase, if you're writing in stanzas, or just repeat the phrase as you move through your poem. Feel free to use any of the literary/poetic devices listed above.
1. If only
2. I want
3. Because we were…
4. Take my hand
5. It doesn't matter