The poem follows the narrator’s internal monologue as he revisits a place of nostalgia that ignited his love of nature. His fears that the picturesque scene of his childhood has been idealized are quieted as he sees the place for the first time in five years, falling in love with the environment all over again. He even credits nature as “The anchor of my purest thoughts, the nurse,/The guide, the guardian of my heart, and soul/Of all my moral being” (Wordsworth LL. 109-111). His ecological thinking recharges his soul and makes him feel joyful about life once again. Nature also connects the narrator to his sister, who he sees himself in because of their love of the countryside. He acknowledges his sister the first time in the poem as his “dear, dear Friend; and in thy voice I catch/The language of my former heart, and read/My former pleasures in the shooting lights/Of thy wild eyes” (Wordsworth LL.…
Some poets reflect on the particular and the universals of the world to unveil certain aspects of human experience. Through the use of particular and universal ideas along with intensive visual and kinesthetic imagery, the reader is able to adopt the same feeling of awe at these simplistic spectacles as once felt by the poet. Harwood’s poem; ‘in the park’ uses particular and universal themes and objects to discuss post-natal depression. Similarly, Heaney’s Poem; ‘Blackberry picking’, uses particular and universal themes and objects…
In both poems, we see the difference between the way the family reacts to the news of the child and the community. In Heaney’s poem we see how it’s a close community. We see this when the narrator tells us ‘at ten o’clock our neighbours drove me home’.…
‘On My First Sonne’ by Ben Jonson and ‘Mid-Term Break’ by Seamus Heaney are both poems which explore the themes of death and loss and are both written about the death of a child. In the case of Ben Jonson it was the death of a son and for Seamus Heaney it was an infant brother. The similarities of the poets are not just the fact that they have both suffered the death of an infant, but also the fact they are poets and play writes which result in similar tones and styles throughout the poems. Both poems are considered as elegies as they lament the death of the child.…
Compare and Contrast the ways in which Heaney and Blake write about innocence and experience in their poetry…
there are deeper meanings to this poem. The poem is no longer regarded as just a children’s…
Seamus Heaney eloquently uses language to express the complex attitude of the speaker within his poem "Digging. " The speaker has rejected his family's path of farming by perusing writing instead. This is a huge decision and one that he contemplates throughout the poem. Heaney conveys this unique attitude through the combined use of rhyme, rhythm, and sound devices within words such as alliteration, assonance and consonance. These strategies help the reader understand the conflict the speaker feels, as he respectfully admires his father and grandfather from afar.…
Wolf Notes, an anthology of Judith Beveridge’s, transcends the literal meaning of its writing through the emphasis placed on scenery. Beveridge formulates her poems on the concept of specific and detailed settings, conveying reason and meaning in a way that cannot be done otherwise. Several of her poems particularly sponsor this idea: Dawn, quite simply is a observation of nature, hence uses nature to express it; The River, is a written representation of restriction and awareness of which is depicted by natures movement, and its similarities to people; and lastly Exsanguination illustrates suffering and the understanding of vulnerability and karma through a marshes flora and fauna.…
The poem “The Poet at Seven” by Donald Justice uses many literary elements, including tone, to convey the idea about the joys of writing poetry throughout the poem. The speaker reveals that many common childhood experiences correspond to the purposes of writing poetry which he feels are important.…
The romantic period in literature started in roughly the 1790s and ended around the 1830s. This was a period when people’s imagination and love for nature flourished, prospered and then sky-rocketed. When comparing the two poems The Ropewalk and Because I Could Not Stop for Death for theme and tenets of romanticism, it is evident that both poets’ exemplify the power of imagination and the weight of nature through poetic devices. While one poet expresses the individual-self the other contradicts with a more social mindset. These comparisons help reveal that the poets’ purposes are to notice the influence of imagination and to also relish nature.…
Gwen Harwood’s poetry explores the reality of human existence, utilising a number of personal experiences in order to impart meaning onto the responders. The poems, At Mornington and A Valediction, explore countless thematic concerns including the loss of childhood innocence, comprehending mortality and maturation of individuals. Utilising a regular variation of tense, between past and present, and her own personal relationships with others, Harwood’s poetry provokes an appreciation of the past, and reinforce themes, which highlights their universal significance. Within the beginning of the poem At Mornington, Harwood explores a childhood memory, at “the sea’s edge”, in order to highlight her apparent childhood strength in her naïve belief that she could defy nature by “walking on water/it’s only a matter of balance”, only to be saved by her father. This nativity is reinforced in the parable of the pumpkin, which grew upwards in “airy defiance of nature”. The biblical allusion with the attempt to walk on water reinforces the blind faith and innocence of the child which is contrasted to the personas self-awareness and acceptance of her own mortality, “at the time of life, when our bones begin to wear”. This childhood recollection can be deemed as the commencement of her acceptance of death; however it is only upon self-reflection on this…
A poem is an expression of emotion or ideas through literary work, often with a distinctive style and rhythm. Kenneth Slessor’s ‘Beach Burial’ and Bruce Dawe’s ‘Elegy for Drowned Children’ both present ideas on how individuals lament for the passed, through the major theme of death. Beach Burial follows the recurring events of the battle of El Alamein in WW2, whilst The Elegy for Drowned Children questions the fate of those unfortunate souls who have drowned. Although both poems incorporate drownin, they contrast in their interpretation of death and the ‘afterlife’. This idea of death is explored through the use of setting, language techniques and symbolism. The poet’s use these devices to emotionally connect with the reader, and each contribute to the specific meanings they are attempting to convey.…
Heaney is able to, by using powerful words like “gleaming” and “girdled” along with interesting metaphors, paint a vivid picture of the scene and setting. This quote also gives insight to the fact that the characters in the poem are christian rather than pagan, though in reality outside of the poem, they are pagan. The translation and use of sense of place also gives insight to the strong focus on religion in ancient times, as Heaney refers to “The almighty”, writing how wonderful the earth he created was. Overall, Heaney’s use of sense of place enhances the poem by highlighting important messages and cultural values in the ancient society that may not have been obvious in the original text, while also creating an intricate setting with vivid…
Poetry can be used as a way of transforming experience and emotions into words, which often details personal and intimate feelings that allow the reader to have a taste of what the poet felt in that vulnerable moment. However, being a poet often means your work is published and open to the scrutiny and opinions of the public. Thereby turning a once personal experience into a public spectacle. This can either unify reader and author in the comfort that someone else has gone through the same experiences you have, such as In Memoriam by Tennyson, or it could polarise readers and expose truths that both reader and poet didn’t expect to manifest. Poetry can also be used as a tool to gain reactions from the public in the hopes of inciting social…
The boy is old enough to understand death, but not experienced enough to understand customs of funeral / describing events as if he travels a strange land…