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A Hard Frost
A frost came in the night and stole my world
And left this changeling for it – a precocious
Image of Spring, too brilliant to be true;
White lilac on the windowpane, each grass-blade
Furred like a catkin, maydrift loading the hedge
The elms behind the house are elms no longer
But blossomers in crystal, stems of the mist
That hangs yet in the valley below, amorphous
As the blind tissue whence creation formed.
The sun looks out, and the fields blaze with diamonds.
Mockery spring, to lend this bridal gear
For a few hours to a raw country maid,
Then leave her all disconsolate with old fairings
Of aconite and snowdrop! No, not here
Amid this flounce and filigree of death
Is the real transformation scene in progress
But deep below where frost
Worrying the stiff clods unclenches their
Grip on the seed and lets our future breathe
Type and Form:
∑ Free verse ∑ Two stanzas – 9 lines and 10 lines ∑ No rhyme ∑ Enjambment - creates a smooth flow, as if the poet is thinking aloud. ∑ The first stanza describes the scene, while the second stanza comments on it and exposes the ‘truth’ of the first.
Theme: Appearance vs. Reality
The beautiful, spring-like appearance of the frosty scene is deceptive, as it will soon melt away and the frost-damaged winter landscape will be revealed. The actual approach of spring is happening underground- less glamorous but more meaningful. In the same way, much of what we see as beautiful and worthy is actually an illusion, and the truly important things in life are often happening unseen and appreciated. Death is necessary to make way for new life. He uses the stunning scenery and relates the transformation in nature to the human lifecycle.
Tone: While the speaker is admiring the beautiful scene created by the frost, he is critical of its trickery- disapproving and indignant. He has an appreciative tone when he considers the true transformation occurring below ground.
∑ Lines One to Three- Distrusting and dismissive ∑ Lines Ten to Fourteen- Stongly and negatively critical, accusatory, disparaging, perhaps even indulgent, because the frost has turned the countryside into a bride dressed in white just for a short while, then takes it all away(by melting), leaving only the plants whch flower in winter(‘aconite’ and ‘snowdrop’). The exclamation mark emphasises this tone. ∑ Lines 16-17: Tone is positive ∑ Line 19: Tone is one of satisfaction
Imagery: contrast snow and frost
∑ Words used to describe the hard frost were beautiful, shiny and bright. These were used to portray a beautiful scene of white snow spreading all over the forest.. ∑ Usually, the forest in winter gave people a sense of cruelty, harshness and lifeless but after having a white frost coating on the dead trees, mountains, everything seemed to become glamorous and attractive
Title – When the temperatures become very low and anything exposed to the night air gets a coating of ice crystals - beautiful but damages plants. Stanza One Lines One to Three: ∑ The word’s appearance has been radically altered by the layer of the frost which makes the surroundings appear spring-like. ∑ The dreary winter world has been transformed overnight to being brighter. ∑ ‘came in the night and stole’ – personification- described negatively from the start – sneaky ∑ ‘changeling’ – metaphor – the brilliant frosty scene is described as a changeling which describes folklore belief that spirits can swap one baby for another. The implication is that this beautiful scene cannot be trusted as it is not real and is temporary just like the babies. ∑ The glittering and sparkling of the reflected frost creates a bright image of Spring ∑ ‘precocious’ – It is not long-lasting. It is an image of the flowers that will grow in spring. ∑ ‘brilliant’ – beautiful Lines Four to Five: ∑ Metaphors and similes- the patterns and shapes made by the frost are compared to flowers which grow in Spring. ∑ ‘furred like a catkin’ – looks like a furry leaf ∑ Green Lines Six to Nine: ∑ Tone from line 7-8 is uneasy ∑ The elm trees look like they are covered in flowers made of crystal. ∑ Metaphor- The trunks of tall trees become the stalks which support the shapeless clouds formed by the mist. ∑ ‘amorphous’ – have no shape ∑ Lines 7-9: Simile – the mist is being compared to unformed, primitive ,matter that existed before ‘creation’ and from which the natural world grew or was made Stanza Two Line 10: ∑ ‘the sun looks out’ – Personification – the sun is compared to a person looking out of a window, at a field, which describes the first appearance of the sun over the horizon. This emphasises that it is daytime. ∑ ‘blaze with diamonds’ – Metaphor – When the sun appears out of an overcast sky, the scene is suddenly bathed in sunlight. The light reflecting off the ice particles is compared to the bright, fiery sparkle of diamonds when light is cast upon it.
∑ There is a link between ‘crystal’ and ‘diamonds’ which make the field seem rich.
Lines Eleven to Fourteen: ∑ Lines 11-13 : Tone is disapproving ∑ ‘mockery’- the narrator feels that the frost is deceiving the people making them think that Spring has arrived. ∑ Line 14: Tone is positive ∑ ‘bridal gear’ – metaphor- The white frost blanket is compared to a wedding dress.The wedding dress is being lent to a country maid for a few hours, but she will be left terribly sad when she has to return it and resume her boring appearance. ∑ ‘disconsolate’ – unhappy/depressed ∑ ‘No’ – not impressed by the beautiful transformation ∑ Personification/ Extended Metaphor – Spring is personified as an imitation (‘mockery spring’) who cruelly gives a ‘raw country maid’ (the landscape) this beautiful ‘bridal gear’ (the decorative ice crystals), knowing that it will not last and she will be left with nothing else but ‘old fairings’ (the few flowers that are tough enough to grow during the cold months). Line Fifteen: ∑ ‘flounce’ – impatient movement/ frills- has connotations of showing off- highlighting the poet’s disapproval of this behaviour. ∑ ‘filigree’ – delicate ornamental metal work ∑ These delicate ‘fowers’ melt away as it grows warmer and perhaps the plants which are not resistant enough to the cold conditions are killed too, unlike the ‘aconite’ and ‘snowdrop’. ∑ Alliteration –creates a sense of lightness and altitude of the frost which appears to be boasting its beautiful appearance- refers to the beautiful patterns the frost makes on the windows and plants – this beauty will actually cause damage and death to many plants Lines Sixteen to Nineteen: ∑ Personification – The frost is personified as ‘worrying’ the clods of earth to break them apart. The clods of earth are personified as having a strong ‘grip’ on the seed, which the frost forces them to loosen. The future is personified- once the seeds have been released from the hard, frozen earth, our future can ‘breathe’ – in other words. The rebirth of the earth’s fertility is assured and our future is safe for another year. ∑ ‘real’- marks the difference between what has changed above the ground and what is changing below the ground. What is happening on the surface is a temporary or ephemeral change. The changes beneath the surface is what is actually real and important.
∑ The transformation below the earth impresses him. It represents strength and endurance. The earth is surrendering its powerful hold to the power of spring. This allows the seeds to sprout/grow and break out of the soil to promise future life and growth. ∑ ‘worrying’- Indicates that the snow does not give up even though the clods/lumps of earth are clenching the seed. It just keeps at it. It is forcing the clods to let go of their tight grip in order that, when warmer days arrive in Spring, they will be able to grow out of the soil into the air. The seeds are the future and the frost is giving them space to get ready for Spring, growth, to ‘breathe’ (a long, gentle sounding word). ∑ Personification- Creates an image of a contest of strength taking place beneath the ground where the earth is surrendering its hold to the power of spring. This allows the seeds the chance to sprout, grow and break out of the soil to promise future life and growth.
NB: The entire poem is an extended metaphor/form of personification. The poet is using ‘frost’ as a metaphor, comparing the beautiful ice crystals to the superficial things of this world, which may be attractive and seem like a promise of something good, but which prove to have no lasting value. True progress and value is often unseen and unglamorous and not appreciated by many.
AN AFRICAN ELEGY
We are the miracles that God made To taste the bitter fruit of Time. We are precious. And one day our suffering Will turn into the wonders of the earth.
There are things that burn me now Which turn golden when I am happy. Do you see the mystery of our pain? That we bear poverty And are able to sing and dream sweet things
And that we never curse the air when it is warm Or the fruit when it tastes so good Or the lights that bounce gently on the waters? We bless things even in our pain. We bless them in silence.
That is why our music is so sweet. It makes the air remember. There are secret miracles at work That only Time will bring forth. I too have heard the dead singing.
And they tell me that This life is good They tell me to live it gently With fire, and always with hope. There is wonder here
And there is surprise In everything the unseen moves. The ocean is full of songs. The sky is not an enemy. Destiny is our friend.
Tone:
∑ Reflective, thoughtful, contemplative, meditative
∑ Friendly, hopeful, optimistic, encouraging, uplifting
∑ The poet is in awe of the magical quality of nature and
life
∑ Assertive, persuasive
∑ Stanza One: Bitter but optimistic
Theme:
Africans are able to bear poverty and
hardship. They have an intimate
connection with nature. They are
enduring and optimistic. They are
hopeful, despite the hardships which
they face. They are eternally hopeful
as they are able to find positives, even
in difficult situations. Hope, miracles,
poverty, pain, destiny, time, suffering.
One who forgets their suffering no
longer suffers.
Form:
∑ Elegy
∑ No rhyme scheme
∑ Each stanza has five lines; therefore it has regularity and
a distinct pattern.
∑ Short lines stand out.
∑ Line breaks add an extra dimension, which promotes
multiple interpretations
Sound Devices:
This is a poem that demands to be
read aloud. The pauses, bound by the
punctuation and line breaks, create a
rhythm that contributes significantly
to the reader’s appreciation and
understanding of the poem
Stanza One
Line One:
∑ ‘We’- personal pronoun- delineates his African
culture- used for the general population of Africa.
Line Two:
∑ ‘bitter’- Implies that life’s experiences maybe
unpleasant or nasty.
∑ ‘fruit’ – counters this sense as it has connotations
of sweetness and growth.
∑ ‘Time’- capitalised- Personification- Suggests that
it has the power to expose us to both difficult and
joyous experiences.
Line Three:
∑ Short sentence that reminds us of our spirituality
Lines Four to Five:
∑ Enjambment
∑ Imply that suffering has the ability to change into
something good such as a ‘wonder’. It is only
through ‘suffering’ that one will appreciate the
miracles of nature.
∑ Effective as it re-affirms our hope that things in
life will improve.
Stanza Two:
Line Six:
∑ ‘now’- reflects on the sorrow or hurt presently in
the speaker’s life
∑ ‘burn’- suggests pain and sorrow
Line Seven:
∑ Hardship experienced is temporary and will allow
us to grow into something better.
∑ ‘Golden’- something valuable will emerge and the
suffering will not be in vain
Line Eight:
∑ ‘mystery’- an indication that our experiences are
often inexplicable. The mystery of life is that hope
allows us to dream of a better future irrespective
of the circumstances. The mystery is that we
never curse the warm air, the good fruit, the
beautiful light- things ‘burn’ but we see gold
nevertheless.
∑ Rhetorical question- reminds us that it is not
necessary to question and search for meaning.
Emphasises the inexplicable nature of their
reaction to their pain and suffering.
Line Nine:
∑ ‘bear’- poverty is a burden to them- shows the
weight we carry because of ‘poverty’ and the
endurance displayed despite life’s hardships-
conveys the extent of their relentlessness
Stanza Three- Each negative idea is countered by a
positive reaction
Line Eleven:
∑ ‘curse’- profanities used by people in modern
society when life does not go the way we want it
to and we project our anger onto God during
difficult experiences.
Line Twelve:
∑ Metaphor- ‘fruit’ is compared to life- we are
thankful when life is good.
Line Thirteen:
∑ As long as life is flowing in a way that ensures our
happiness, we remain hopeful and optimistic.
Stanza Four
Line Sixteen:
∑ There are other elements that bring joy. Music is
gratifying, rewarding, pleasurable, harmonious.
This expresses their optimistic attitude towards
life. This possibly implies that other miracles are
happening to add to the sweetness.
Line Seventeen:
∑ Personification- links back to ‘we never curse the
air’ since the air will represents the supernatural
which exists in life like the warm air and the good
fruit. The people are aware of the music even
after it has ended. It has an impact and resonates
with them. Tells you that the sounds carried by
the air are a reminder of the close spiritual
connection between nature and their ancestors.
This promotes a feeling of upliftment.
Line Eighteen:
∑ Implies the cosmic dimensions in life.
∑ ‘miracles’- associated with the spiritual world
which the speaker introduces in line 1 with the
reference to ‘God’
Line Nineteen:
∑ ‘Time’- appears to be a mythical figure which will
heal all sufferings.
∑ ‘dead’- reference to ancestors which are usually
given much respect
Stanza Five
Line Twenty Two:
∑ Irony- They reassure the speaker however, he had
previously mentioned the suffering and pain
which they experienced.
Line Twenty Four:
∑ ‘fire’- hot and burns- represents passion and
desire- This desire for change will bring ‘hope’
Line Twenty Five:
∑ ‘wonder’- miracles
Stanza Six
Line Twenty Six:
∑ ‘surprise’- miracles and wonders of life
Line Twenty Seven:
∑ ‘unseen moves’- hidden miracles that take place
Line Twenty Eight:
∑ ‘ocean’- vastness of the world
∑ ‘songs’- life’s experiences
∑ The ocean is compared to the sweetness of music.
This harmony will conceal the bitterness endured.
Line Twenty Nine:
∑ ‘sky’- hope- representation of the heavens which
implies God
∑ God is our friend and not our ‘enemy’
Line Thirty:
∑ Metaphor- Shows us that we will never know
what lies ahead. We should treat it as a ‘friend’
(someone we can trust). You can choose your own
destiny/friend.
An Africa Thunderstorm
From the west Clouds come hurrying with the wind Turning sharply Here and there Like a plague of locusts Whirling, Tossing up things on its tail Like a madman chasing nothing.
Pregnant clouds Ride stately on its back, Gathering to perch on hills Like sinister dark wings; The wind whistles by And trees bend to let it pass.
In the village Screams of delighted children, Toss and turn In the din of the whirling wind, Women, Babies clinging on their backs Dart about In and out Madly; The wind whistles by Whilst trees bend to let it pass.
Clothes wave like tattered flags Flying off To expose dangling breasts As jagged blinding flashes Rumble, tremble and crack Amidst the smell of fired smoke And the pelting march of the storm.
Form:
∑ Free verse- emphasises the unpredictability of the wind.
∑ Short lines- urgency
∑ Long lines- speech
Diction:
∑ Present participles are used to describe the movement of the clouds due to the wind. These participles work together to show the progression and speed of the wind and energy of the shifting clouds.
Theme: Man vs. nature
Tone:
∑ Excited and animated
Title: ∑ Literally- description of a typical thunderstorm approaching an African village with all its intensity. ∑ Figuratively/Metaphorically- the impact of colonization on African countries. ∑ Rain is usually associated with blessings for harvesting crops and sustaining the lives of animals. In this poem, rain and wind is described destructively. Stanza One: Describes the build-up to the impending storm. ∑ ‘From the west’- connotations of something frightening and potentially destructive arriving such as Western colonizers. ∑ Metaphor- Just as people move frantically and in all directions when in a hurry, so too do the clouds move in all directions due to the force of the wind. The force of the wind depicts how they forcefully invaded Africa, tossing and turning up-side-down every African cultural value. ∑ One-word lines suggest quick changes which are reinforced by ‘here and there’ which evokes that the separate clouds appearing and moving in different parts of the sky. ∑ Similes in lines 6 and 9 capture the potential destructiveness of the coming storm. ∑ ‘like a plague of locusts’- Simile- clouds compared to locusts in appearance and their destructive nature- The arrival of colonists who create chaos and destruction- The arrival of disease. ∑ ‘like a mad man chasing nothing’- simile- The wind is unpredictable, irrational and moving without purpose or direction causing it to pose as a threat- This could mean that colonialists seem to not want anything in particular, but everything and to conquer all.
Stanza Two: Describes the momentum of the imminent thunderstorm and the changes that come with it. Clouds are moving in a more controlled and purposeful way. ∑ ‘pregnant’- Personification- suggests that the clouds are full of rain and ready to burst and unleash more chaos and destruction- Africans have no idea about what will follow the Westerners’ visit. ∑ Suggests that the clouds are moving steadily, controllably, elegantly in an imposing manner and are ready to settle on the hills. ∑ ‘whistles’- onomatopoeia- the wind’s high-pitched shriek
∑ Simile- compares the clouds to ominous wings of the birds which ‘perch’ or balance predatory or opportunistically on the hills waiting for the opportune moment to strike- poses a threat and creates a threatening atmosphere ∑ The wind moves so rapidly so as to create a whistling sound ∑ Personification- The strength of the wind is so immense that trees subdue to it to let it pass by.
Stanza Three: Paints a picture of the chaos and disorderliness that comes with the thunderstorms. We are told how children and women react to and prepare them for the forthcoming storm. ∑ Children appear to be screaming in joy, probably in anticipation of a rainfall or maybe the joy is triggered by the way the wind tosses things. ∑ They may also be screaming in terror as this thunderstorm appears to be different from their monotonous livelihood. This is supported by them ‘clinging’ onto the backs of their mothers. ∑ Alliteration in lines 18 to 20 emphasises the sounds of the children, combined with the sounds of the wind creating a cacophony (a harsh mixture of sounds)/din. ∑ ‘screams’- onomatopoeia- screeching of children ∑ ‘toss and turn’- alliteration- links the wind’s violent throwing about of the sounds in the village with the sharp, twisting movement of the wind to enhance the rough power of the wind. ∑ In contrast to the children, the women are silent yet frantic in their preparation for the storm. They race about ‘in and out’ of their huts making preparations creating panic and chaos in the village. ∑ ‘Madly’- adds to the sense of chaos along with the high-pitched sound of the speeding wind. ∑ Repetition of lines 13 and 14 emphasise the submission to a higher power- the storm. The villagers submit to the colonizers in the same way that the trees do to the wind.
Stanza Four: Describes the climax and effect of the raging thunderstorm. Things are left out of place. Unfortunately, women turned out to be the most victims because they stay at home to ensure that the family is safe. ∑ ‘like tattered flags’- simile- Clothing is fluttering in the winds just as flags do. Africans cannot have pride
∑ This stanza tells us that once the white with their gun fire and war enter a village, the children are delighted to see them, but on seeing the destruction they inflict, the children cling to their mothers. The children could symbolize the youth who are always the first to embrace change, and the women represent the elders. However, they start taking what they came for, causing move havoc on the land.
∑ ‘rumble’ and ‘tremble’- consonance and resonance- rhyme- reverberation of thunder. As the storm gets closer, it’s imminent arrival is heralded by the onomatopoeia of ‘rumble, tremble, crack’
∑ Military image in final line suggests the inevitable arrival of the heavy downpour. It cannot be opposed.
∑ ‘crack’- sharp, brutal sound for thunder.
FUNERAL BLUES – W. H. Auden
Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.
Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead,
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.
He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song:
I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong.
The stars are not wanted now: put out every one:
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.
FORM AND STRUCTURE
∑ The poem comprises of four quatrains (stanzas of equal length). ∑ It has a regular rhyme scheme: a-a-b-b, c-c-d-d, e-e-f-f, g-g-h-h. ∑ Each stanza explores a different aspect of the speaker’s grief. The first stanza explores the domestic or home environment, the second broadens to his local and public surroundings, the third stanza explains the nature of the speaker’s love for the deceased, while the fourth stanza looks beyond to elements of nature in the greater universe. ∑ Classified as an elegy (mournful funeral poem) or a dirge(mournful funeral song).
THEME/ INTENTION
The poem about is about terrible, horrible, no good, very bad death. After the death of his loved one, the speaker has no joy or hope. He is completely and utterly devastated. There's no silver living in this poem, no happy endings, no smiles or songs. There's only the notion that death is the wretched and worst imaginable place, and not just for the dead – for the living, too. It concerns grief and mourning for a lost loved one and the impulse to spread the dreadful news far and wide. It demonstrates how shocking it can be to realise that love may not, in fact, last forever, due to the reality of death.
TONE
Stanza One- Curt (speaking shortly, almost angrily)
Stanza Two- Almost hysterical
Stanza Three- Still sad but a calmer mood
Stanza Four- Returns to near hysterical grief
PACE/TEMPO
Stanza One- Fast Tempo (seriousness)
Stanza Two and Three- Slow Tempo (sadness)
Stanza Four- Fast tempo (seriousness)
NB: There is hyperbole throughout the poem for exaggerated expressions of mourning. This is due to emotional trauma
TITLE:
∑ Suggests the loss of life as there is a
‘funeral’.
∑ ‘Blues’ adds to the feelings of sorrow and
heartache experienced during this time.
∑ Pun on the word ‘blues’ refers to a genre
of music of melancholy and a melancholic
feeling.
STANZA ONE:
Imperatives (harsh commands)- The poet
demands that time, communication and
excitement seize. The speaker is making a big
pronouncement to the world: someone has
died, and we must acknowledge it in dramatic
ways.
Lines 1-2:
∑ ‘clocks’- physical representation of time
∑ ‘telephone’- physical representation of
communication
∑ He also wants the dogs to stop barking
and is in dire need of silence
Lines 3-4:
∑ Drums are much more solemn and fitting
for the occasion than a joyful, celebratory
piano.
∑ ‘coffin’ and ‘mourners’- symbols of death
∑ Enjambment- gives smooth transition to
final line, puts emphasis on ‘coffin’.
STANZA TWO:
Public acknowledgements of death.
Lines 5-6:
∑ ‘aeroplanes’ ‘moaning’ and scribbling’ –
Personification- Emphasizes the intensity of
the poet’s grief.
∑ He wants a public declaration and
acknowledgement of the death.
∑ Contrasts to cut off communication with
the world
∑ Enjambment- creates smooth transition to
line 2 on, puts emphasis on ‘He Is Dead’
∑ ‘He is Dead’- Harsh finality with no
euphemism. Capital letters of pronoun
show that the deceased was of an
elevated status or highlights his
anonymity. Capital letter of dead gives
death its importance and finality.
Lines 7-8:
∑ Antithesis- ‘white necks’ and ‘black
gloves’.
∑ ‘doves’- symbolic of peace
STANZA THREE:
Deals with their immense love and their
personal, domestic relationship.
Lines 9-10:
∑ Metaphor- emphasizes the direction and
purpose that the deceased gave to the
speaker.
∑ Cardinal points- found on a compass
∑ Repetition of ‘my’- emphasizes their
closeness
∑ ‘working week’- alliteration
Line 11:
∑ Metaphor- The dead man filled every hour
in the speaker’s day.
∑ ‘talk’- conversation
∑ ‘song’- happiness
Line 12:
∑ ‘I’- emphasizes the speaker’s solitude and
loneliness.
∑ ‘:’- introduces the reality of death and the
despair he feels when he realizes he was
Wrong’.
∑ Reveals the tragedy of human life and loss
STANZA FOUR:
Deals with the depth of the speaker’s grief.
Lines 13-15:
∑ Metaphor- universal elements are
compared to unwanted household items.
∑ Uses imperatives again.
∑ His extreme grief is affecting the way he
sees the cosmos.
∑ Natural elements which are pointless and
rejected by him as they are images of
romance.
∑ ‘Dismantle’- he wants nature to be
removed as it is worthless at this moment.
∑ Hyperbole- he wants everything to be
blotted out except his grief and mourning
which has interfered with his ability to
appreciate nature.
∑ ‘wood’- symbolic of forests and trees
Line 16:
∑ ‘nothing now’- alliteration- emphasizes his
feeling of complete emptiness
∑ He is unable to move beyond the loss.
∑ There is no light at the end of the tunnel
for anyone in “Funeral Blues”.
Title: ∑ First day of peace – post 1994 ∑ ‘war’- refers to the harsh, oppressive system of apartheid ∑ Proposes that the poem is a description of the joy felt by the people at the ending of apartheid – a period of discrimination and oppression.
Stanza One Lines One to Four: ∑ A mood of uncertainty is present. They are tentatively optimistic. They have a calm response to the appearance of the dawn of a new day. Line One: ∑ ‘we’- personal pronoun- inclusive- adds to the credibility of their experiences ∑ ‘heard’- sense of hearing- distant ∑ ‘songs’- celebration ∑ They heard the songs of a wedding party or a political party marriage in the distance- figurative and literal- to forge a united future. ∑ Extended metaphor- celebration of ‘marriage’- Wedding metaphor – our country is a new bride and innocent as she is reborn – it is a new chapter – wedding is union between two people at a new level not experienced before. Line Two: ∑ ‘saw’- sense of sight
∑ ‘soft’-calm, subtle and not blatant ∑ ‘soft light’- symbol of hope/optimism. Merely hope as right now, they are uncertain of what it means. It is not concrete. Line Three: ∑ literal: new grass; figurative: young men and youth at the beginning and birth ∑ ‘coiling’- could have negative connotations of a snake but has power. It is a gerund/participle. Line Four: ∑ ‘hesitated’- reluctant to believe. It was very sudden. They are wary to believe that it is real. ∑ ‘then’- dismiss doubt, a moment of realisation. ∑ ‘footprints’- literal-imprints & figurative-impact made
∑ Freedom is personified. They saw concrete evidence pertaining to the abolishment of apartheid. Lines Five to Six: ∑ Freedom personified as a woman – soft, gentle, comforting, nurturing, life-giving, reassuring- whose footsteps, face, eyes and smile encourage people. There is a juxtaposition/contrast where freedom is associated with gentle qualities and it is also strong and powerful. Introduces the reality and beauty of freedom who shyly wants reassurance and confirmation. ∑ She woke them from apartheid darkness/sleep Lines Seven to Eight: ∑ It feels sudden after such a long wait ∑ Apartheid was war – now free ∑ Direct speech ∑ Freedom is personified as a maternal figure waking a child up in the morning. She reassures them the reality of freedom. Line Nine: ∑ No longer reluctant/hesitant ∑ ‘ran’- Free to vent their emotions of joy, excitement and action. Freedom recharges their energy levels. ∑ ‘open spaces’- contrasts to the confinements of apartheid – indicates a rural area ∑ ‘Ululating’- Onomatopoeia- howling or wailing expressing strong emotion to their newfound freedom. ∑ ‘mountains and pathways’- cannot restrain their need for physical activity Line Eleven: ∑ Enjambment continues ∑ Hyperbole- shows the extent of their happiness/euphoria. They are from all walks of life. ∑ Inclusive – everyone together! Line Twelve: ∑ ‘shook up’- unsettled, sleeping, unaware of their newfound freedom, hard of hearing. ∑ ‘old man’ – older generation, cynics ∑ Suggests vigour and eagerness to celebrate Line Thirteen: ∑ Alliteration- ‘f’- soft
∑ Just as there is a celebration after the harvest if the first fruits of the season, so too do they demand a celebration now. Lines Fourteen to Seventeen: ∑ Repetitive form of line structure – overwhelming joy prompting an unrestrained physical response. Impulsive responses from people showing unity and elation. ∑ They responded impulsively and spontaneously to their freedom. It was not allowed previously due to the segregation of apartheid. They have no qualms in holding hands with strangers. ∑ ‘shouted’- their inhibitions have neem replaced with revelry. They shouted about the sound of the waterfall which is the harmony nature has depicted which reflects their newfound harmony. Line Sixteen: ∑ ‘everyone came’ – emphasises unity from all the fields. Celebration unifies humanity from all over. ∑ ‘lands’ means fields not necessarily countries Line Seventeen: ∑ repetition of ‘first day’ to emphasise the newness of their happiness ∑ conclusive naming of this day- 27 April 1994 Line Eighteen: ∑ renewed stature of ancestors – look at the ancestor worship, they have not given up on them and they are there – amadlozi – spiritual blessing, also those killed during apartheid and death was worth it ∑ Ends off on a serious note. Mood is sombre. This is a reminder that people must look back to the past for guidance in the future. ∑ ‘Ancestors’- capitalised- beings of higher order. Importance is conveyed. Their standard of moral excellence, the younger generation would need to emulate. ∑ Alliteration- ‘t’- adds impact to the line- describes their action of walking tall. They are proud, important, pleased with the ending of the war and the unity in celebration. Their presence indicates their satisfaction that their vision for the community has been realised.
FIRST DAY AFTER THE WAR
We heard the songs of a wedding party
We saw a soft light
Coiling round the young blades of grass
At first we hesitated, then we saw her footprints,
Her face emerged, then her eyes of freedom!
She woke us up with a smile saying,
‘What day is this that comes suddenly?’
We said, ‘It is the first day after the war’.
Then without waiting we ran to the open space
Ululating to the mountains and the pathways
Calling people from all the circles of the earth.
We shook up the old man demanding a festival
We asked for all the first fruits of the season.
We held hands with a stranger
We shouted across the waterfalls
People came from all lands
It was the first day of peace.
We saw our Ancestors travelling tall on the horizon.
Tone: Hopeful and optimistic Mood: Jubilation – excitement and energised
Theme:
∑ The poet conveys the possibility of unity if people remain optimistic and
committed to the changes they hope will materialise.
∑ He is also sending a strong message about the connection between a new
future and the experiences of the past.
Form:
∑ Free verse with no rhyme scheme.
∑ Lines 12-16 have a repetitive line
structure of simple sentences that
convey the joy of the celebration
∑ Diction is simple and in keeping with
the rural setting of the poem.
∑ Enjambment is present
∑ Poet uses narrative/storytelling
features such as dialogue and past
tense.
OCTAVE:
What will happen after the death- dominated by “remember” STANZA ONE Line 1: ∑ ‘gone’- physical separation Line 2: ∑ ‘far away’- distance created by death ∑ ‘silent land’- no communication Line 3: ∑ ‘no more hold me by the hand’- no physical contact, comfort or guidance Line 4: ∑ No choice after death like you would have in life
STANZA TWO
Line 5: ∑ ‘day by day’- no more order/routine to follow Line 6: ∑ ‘tell me’- no more conversations/discussions Line 7: ∑ ‘only remember me’ – ambiguity ‘only’- do nothing else but remember her ‘me’- remember nobody else besides her Line 8: ∑ ‘counsel’ and ‘pray’- no spiritual connection, no advice, no comfort
SESTET
Allows the lover to forget STANZA THREE Line 9: ∑ Begins with ‘yet’ which is a volta and indicates a change in idea or perspective ∑ ‘if’- possibility
∑ ‘should forget’- brings on the antithesis between the octave and sestet. Not demanding, but forgiving – emphasizes her love. Line 11: ∑ ‘for’- because ∑ ‘darkness and corruption’ – death Line 12: ∑ ‘vestige’- remnant or trace of what they remember Line 13: ∑ ‘forget and smile’- distance yourself from my memory and be happy ∑ Ends the poem off on an unselfish note. ∑
somewhere i have never travelled, gladly beyond
somewhere i have never travelled, gladly beyond
any experience, your eyes have their silence:
in your most frail gesture are things which enclose me,
or which i cannot touch because they are too near
your slightest look easily will unclose me
though i have closed myself as fingers,
you open always petal by petal myself as spring opens
(touching skilfully, mysteriously)her first rose
or if your wish be to close me, i and
my life will shut very beautifully, suddenly,
as when the heart of this flower imagines
the snow carefully everywhere descending;
nothing which we are to perceive in this world equals
the power of your intense fragility: whose texture
compels me what the colour of its countries,
rendering death and forever with each breathing
(i do not know what it is about you that closes
and opens; only something in me understands
the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses)
nobody, not even the rain, has such small hands
Theme: The poet has taken us on a journey into the mysterious realms of his lover’s power. It
is a romantic in-the-moment love poem written for a special partner. He tries to explain what
looking into her eyes feels like. He is entranced by the deep mysteriousness of her soul. The
power she has over him only seems to make him love her more. He expresses his surprise and
wonder at the mystery of love.
Tone: Soulful, spontaneous outburst,
mysterious, deep, passionately loving.
Expresses the profound mysteriousness and
beauty of love.
Form: Faulty punctuation, parenthesis,
enjambment, careful placement of colons
and commas. Idiosyncratic (upside down
syntax) and unconventional style in keeping
with the spirit of his adventure. He prefers to
stay outside of formal poetry regulations.
There is a radical arrangement of grammar
and for. Given all the unusual features of
Cummings’ writing, it might be surprising to
see a definite form being used. The poem is
composed of regular four line stanzas and
each stanza deals with a new, separate point.
Free verse. Absence of capital letters and full
stops means that there is no beginning or end
to the poem- relates to the idea that love is
timeless.
Rhyme: The fact that there is little rhyme
used in the first four stanzas makes the use
of rhyme in the final stanza all the more
noticeable.
Assonance: ‘o’- All the way through our
journey, we hear the meditative "ohh"
sound, which is also a subtle sonic reminder
of the sense of awe in our speaker, too.
Title: ∑ ‘i’- speaker regards himself as insignificant in comparison to his lover. He is devoted to her and is happy to cede control over himself to her. ∑ ‘travelled’- journey
Stanza One: Poet conveys something that transcends normality which is the idea of love as a journey or travel beyond words straight to the eyes of his lover where he seems to disappear into her soul. Enjambment is present. Line One: ∑ Speaker is taking us on a metaphorical journey. ∑ ‘gladly’- he is enthusiastic and his happiness is linked to travel. ∑ ‘beyond’- placement at end of line indicates the dissolution of boundaries. ∑ ‘beyond any experience’- unfamiliar territory Line Two: ∑ ‘eyes’ – sense of sight ∑ ‘silence’- speech ∑ Combination of senses – synaesthesia – She speaks to him with her eyes and he is unable to interpret what she means – power she has over him Lines One to Two: ∑ The unexplored place the speaker is heading into is the depths of his lover's eyes. If the speaker's eyes are silent at times, it may mean that she can be really hard to read, which only makes her more
exciting to the speaker.
Line Three: ∑ ‘most frail gesture’ – her subtle movements overwhelm and control him. He loses his confidence and becomes insecure around her. She makes him shy. He cannot pinpoint exactly what it is about her that overwhelms him. ∑ ‘things’- vague – he does not know how to explain his feelings. Line Four: ∑ Deliberate paradox- He cannot understand these feelings as they are ‘too near’. It’s a part of him but he cannot explain or ‘touch’ them.
Stanza Two: Line Five: ∑ ‘slightest look’- a mere glance causes him to lose his sanity. She does not even have to touch him. ∑ ‘easily’- emphasises how easy it is for him to become overwhelmed/moved by her.
∑ ‘unclose’- sounds similar to ‘enclose’ in line 3 and suggests that the speaker’s beloved can both contain him and open him up with the ‘slightest’ glance or movement. Line Six: ∑ ‘closed myself as fingers’ - simile- he has been hurt and closed off his emotions. Just as a fist is tightly closed, he did not allow anyone to open him up. Lines Seven to Eight: ∑ Simile- She opens him up methodically, gently and is careful with his emotions. ∑ ‘always’- given prominence by its incorrect position. ∑ ‘petal by petal’- careful, painstaking/gentle pressure she exerts to reach him and his inability to resist. ∑ ‘Spring’- capitalised – given prominence- growth, life, fertility, new life, where poets find their muse traditionally. ∑ ‘rose’- supreme flower associated with passionate love- iconic flower- symbol of love and dedication. ∑ Parenthesis- emphasises immediacy of his feelings in the moment of love- suggests the magical quality of spring and love. ∑ She is expertly gentle and he cannot explain how she manages to do it. The way that a rose blossoms, over time and mysteriously, so too does she open him up and break the barrier. ∑ The line could even be said to ‘jump over’ words to complete the thought, as in line 7 where ‘Spring’ skips over the content in brackets to find its object, ‘her first rose’ (line 8). ∑ No space after comma- binds the two concepts together
Stanza Three: Lines Nine to Ten: ∑ If she wishes to crush, trample over him, he does not mind and will accept it willingly. She has him at her whims and fancies. Line Eleven: ∑ Simile- He compares himself to a ‘flower’ whose instinct or ‘heart’ senses the onset of the cold weather and begins to ‘shut’. Just as the rose knows when winter is coming and will die, it is given consciousness and imagination and similarly, his emotions will close up if she wishes to do so. His life will fade away like the rose when it feels the slow kiss of the snowflakes- she has a godly power. In a nutshell, she has complete control over him just as the seasons have control over the lifecycle of a flower.
Stanza Four: Line Thirteen: ∑ Her power goes beyond anything that exists on earth.
Line Fourteen: ∑ ‘intense fragility’- oxymoron- her femininity and delicateness make her powerful and give her a hold over the speaker. It allows him to know life, death & eternity. ∑ ‘:’- an explanation of her fragility follows ∑ The speaker is being touched by things you wouldn't be able to feel in a literal sense- her ‘fragility’ Line Fifteen: ∑ ‘countries’- reference to the metaphorical journey to the unknown – dissolution of borders between countries. ∑ Suggests that she has become all of the vibrant experiences in the world to him. His emotional intimacy with her is equated with travelling to a vivid world. ∑ Alliteration – ‘c’- gives extra power to the words and draws the reader’s attention. Line Sixteen: ∑ He is able to take bless in every breath. No boundaries between life and death. She is a divine goddess that controls him.
Stanza Five: Lines Seventeen to Nineteen: ∑ Parenthesis- immediacy and reflection Lines Eighteen to Twenty: ∑ ‘roses’ and ‘rain’- Despite having compared her to nature earlier in the poem, he now says that nature cannot match her power. Lines Nineteen to Twenty: ∑ Personification- She can open and close him more skilfully than rain can open and close a rose. ∑ Roses wordplay conjures the image of a lady whose eyes are deep and mysterious. When the speaker looks into them, he can't quite read what's there, but he is mesmerized. Line Twenty: ∑ ‘nobody, not even the rain, has such small hands.’- Personification- Once again, the speaker describes himself as being opened by some intangible thing about his love. He compares himself to a flower being opened again, but notice that it isn't the rain that opens him. It's some mysterious, subtle thing with even smaller hands than the rain. ∑ ‘small hands’- reminder of her fragility ∑ There is absolutely nothing more powerful than her- not even the rain has the transforming, nurturing power that she has. ∑ Absence of spaces after the commas- emphasises that there is nothing more powerful than her.
