Howl by Allen Ginsberg Analysis

An examination of the literary world of the 20^th century would be woefully incomplete without a look at Howl by Allen Ginsberg, and that is why we will be having a look at it today. This poem is a prominent text from the Beat Generation, and it would go on to serve as an inspiration for many poets for decades to come. The poem would also have a cultural impact because of its place in an obscenity trial that attempted to ban it. However, we will get to each of these topics in time. We should first have a look at a summary because it may prepare us for what we have before us today.

Beat Poets Lucien Carr, Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and William S. Burroughs (nd); See page for author, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Howl by Allen Ginsberg Summary Points

The only real way to dive deep into the world of Howl by Allen Ginsberg is to read it and check out a few analyses, such as the one that can be found below. However, you may also be looking for a short summation of the poem or what it is about, and the summary below should be able to do that for you:

• Howl by Allen Ginsberg is a critique of American society. The poem presents various critiques through what it describes. It shows the parts of society that have often been deemed undesirable by the more conservative politics of the United States. The poem would come to be seen as a cry of the Beat Generation thanks to this.
• Howl by Allen Ginsberg is a long poem. The poem is about 3000 words long and is made up of 122 “lines”, which are more like short paragraphs than standard lines as you would see in traditional poetry. This means that the poem can take quite a long time to read.
• Howl by Allen Ginsberg is seen as the great poem of the Beat Generation. The poem was seen as an instant success within the Beat community, and it soon became prominent throughout the country. The text even got caught up in an obscenity trial because of what it depicts, and this has only added to its influence.

This summing up of the things that we are soon to discuss is far from perfect, and as a former English teacher, I would implore you to read more than just a summary. If you want to learn and understand Howl by Allen Ginsberg, then you’ll need to do some more reading.

And this analysis is a good starting position.

Biography of Allen Ginsberg

Allen Ginsberg was an influential American writer who is best known for writing Howl, but he did write various other texts too. One of the most notable aspects about him was that he was one of the principal members of the early Beat Generation. He was seen as one of the founding members of the movement, and he was personal friends with major figures in the movement, like Jack Kerouac and William S. Burroughs.

He, along with the other Beat Poets, would rebel against the kind of conformism that was prevalent in the repressive society of the mid-20^th century in the United States. His most famous poem, which will be the primary thing that I examine today, is one such immense critique of the society that gave birth to the rebelliousness of the Beats. His work, and the work of the other Beats, would be opposed to the kind of militaristic mentalities of the United States as well as the capitalism they had grown up around and the sexual repression that was deemed ordinary.

Allen Ginsberg (1979); Michiel Hendryckx, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Beats and Ginsberg were very much a part of this and would engage in various parts of counterculture, such as sexual liberation and open drug use. He was also a gay man during a time when such a thing was extremely frowned upon and even “treated” as a psychiatric disorder. His interests also led him to a firm embrace of Eastern religious teachings, and he lived his life as a Buddhist.

Allen Ginsberg stayed true to his convictions throughout his life and took great interest in political causes. His work would receive numerous accolades throughout his career, and Howl would even become immortalized as one of the most important texts to have ever been written, especially because of its place in terms of literary obscenity laws. So, perhaps we should finally get to the poem itself because we aren’t going to get to the analysis of Howl by Allen Ginsberg without actually getting into it!

An Analysis of Howl by Allen Ginsberg

I have spent until now speaking about Howl by Allen Ginsberg in far more abstract terms, but to really understand it, we need to get into our discussion of the poem itself. So, how is the text written? Well, it makes use of a free verse style throughout, but this free verse style is also quite unlike all other poems. It does not make use of the usual forms of standard poetic features, like rhyme or meter, but it does have a strong flow to it. There is a certain music-like quality to it that came from some of its jazz influences.

On top of that, while the poem lacks the standard poetic features you’d find in more traditional poetry, that musical quality means that it is full of alliterative and repetitive elements. It flows off the tongue in quite a satisfying way, and so we cannot say that Howl by Allen Ginsberg entirely follows a lot of free verse poetry in the way that it might be strange or peculiar to read, but rather that it refuses to follow the norm.

One of the biggest changes it makes is the use of long lines.

These lines always run across the page and can sometimes end up as several lines long. This means that they are sometimes akin to short paragraphs rather than what we might ordinarily view as normal lines of poetry. This means that Howl by Allen Ginsberg looks very different on a page. This text does not have the kind of appearance that we have come to expect from traditional poetry.

These immensely long lines also facilitate the poem’s incredible length. While there certainly have been far longer poems, such as the ancient Greek Homeric epics, Howl by Allen Ginsberg is still a long text. It equals up to about 3000 words in length and that length is made up of 112 of these long lines. This means that a full reading of this text will probably take you some time.

This also means that the analysis I will perform today will be a little different from how I usually do it. Typically, when I have a look at a poem on this site, I paste the entire poem into the article so that you can have a look at the lines for yourself and then I perform a line-by-line analysis. However, a line-by-line analysis of a 3000-word poem would result in something like a short book-length analysis. So, I will not be doing that! Instead, this analysis will discuss each of the parts of the poem in more general terms than an extremely in-depth analysis.

Poet and activist Allen Ginsberg with the protestors – Miami Beach, Florida (1972); Tony Schweikle, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

So, before I get into that analysis of Howl by Allen Ginsberg, I should probably first give you a bit of a rundown on the structure of this poem. Very basically, it has three different parts, and while each of those parts does move the principal themes forward, they all have vastly different styles. Sure, they all have the same long lines and more peculiar delivery, but they go about it in very different ways.

In addition to that, I will also provide a brief analysis of Footnote to Howl, which was a supplementary text that has come to be seen as part of Howl by Allen Ginsberg. It is not technically part of the original poem, but it has generally been seen as part of it in the present day. And with all of that out of the way, I can finally show you some of this poem, but I would also recommend having a look at the poem yourself first.

Part I

The first part of Howl by Allen Ginsberg is definitely the most famous part. The first line is also a potent one that has been used repeatedly ever since in many places. It is also a line that informs what the entire first part of the poem is about, and that line reads: “I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked”.

This line will go on to explain much of what follows. Ginsberg critiques the kind of culture that he found around him, and it is these “best minds” that he shows. The best minds of the generation in his opinion are not those that a conservative society would deem the best but are rather the members of society who have often been pushed to the side by broader society. The first part of the poem concerns various groups doing various things, and they are discussed in often unflattering ways, but very real ways.

Allen Ginsberg Signing Petition at Draft Resistance Rally (1968); National Archives at Boston, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The events that are depicted are those that were directly experienced by Ginsberg, and so he mentions and discusses various groups, such as fellow writers and artists, drug addicts, musicians, the mentally ill, and political dissidents. For instance, one of the sections of this part of the poem discusses those with “dark skin” who put out pamphlets, and this poem was written during the American Civil Rights Movement, and so those pamphlets would have been connected to groups such as those who fought for human rights.

There are also instances of political and societal issues on display, such as those who have been thrown into police cars “for committing no crime”. However, one of the major points that came to be important when this poem faced legal issues was that there are very frank depictions of sexual intercourse of both homosexual and heterosexual varieties, and these sexual acts are also depicted as casual sexual encounters rather than those in committed relationships. These kinds of depictions say something about the political landscape in which Howl by Allen Ginsberg was written and published. These were the groups that had been cast away by mainstream society, and this poem highlighted them, their lives, and their struggles.

A strong piece of the form in this section is the repetitive use of the word “who”, and this serves as a rhythmic piece that can serve as an anchor for the text’s discussions. This particular aspect of the poem is repeated, in some sense, in the next part of the poem.

Part II

While the first part of Howl by Allen Ginsberg does make repetitive use of the word “who”, there is a bit of a difference in the second part, and that is the use of different forms of “who”, such as “whom” and “whose”. This still serves as a stylistic anchor and a point for a music-like repetition, but it also becomes less noticeable here because of the constant repetition of a different and much more obvious word: Moloch.

Before we continue, what is Moloch? Well, the word should be familiar to those who know their Bible rather well. The name appears in several places but has a much more prominent place in the Book of Leviticus. There are disputes about whether it refers to a practice or a god. However, when it is discussed in the Bible, it is always discussed in relation to certain negative practices. These are especially associated with child sacrifice. And so, when Howl by Allen Ginsberg repeatedly uses the term “Moloch” in this section, it is referring to something monstrous.

Members of the Ginsberg Guerrilla’s hold up a map during the 1972 Republican National Convention – Miami, Florida (1972); Tony Schweikle, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

This monstrous force is shown as being the thing to which those discussed in the first part of the poem have been sacrificed. In the actual poem, the way in which Moloch is described is as society. It discusses the “machinery” of the beast, and these are things like Congress, prisons, skyscrapers, and so on. It is the society itself that is taking in those who have been neglected and feasting upon them.

It is not hard to see this entire part of the poem as describing the terrible fate of those who do not conform. All must be sacrificed to Moloch and society, and the critique of American culture can be seen on full display here. The poem’s second part is very different to read than the first part, and also significantly shorter.

We can say the same about the third part of the poem.

Part III

Now, I have not mentioned it until now because it was not directly referenced until this point. However, the entirety of the poem was written in dedication to an acquaintance of Ginsberg’s named Carl Solomon. This man was a writer who Ginsberg met while at a mental hospital for a time, and in the third part of Howl, Solomon is directly mentioned. He is addressed as the speaker states that “I’m with you in Rockland”. Now, this place is meant to be a psychiatric institution, but it has been pointed out, even by Carl Solomon himself, that they were not in Rockland. However, “Rockland” sounds a lot better than where they really were, which was the Columbia Presbyterian Psychological Institute. Doesn’t quite roll off the tongue, now does it?

Allen Ginsberg, Timothy Leary, and John C. Lilly (1991); Philip H. Bailey (E-mail), CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

As for the structure of this part of the poem, it is quite different from both of the sections that have come before. There is the constant repetition of “I’m with you in Rockland”, but each of the lines becomes progressively longer and longer until they are essentially paragraphs. Furthermore, in this section, there is a constant discussion of mental illness and psychiatric practice, such as electroconvulsive therapy.

The theme of mental illness has been on display throughout the poem, but this part directly highlights it far more than before. While the second part of the poem is focused on something terrible, this section is far more focused on a certain sense of glory that can be found within what society has deemed to be wrong. This section ends things off on a far more positive note.

Moloch may be out there and attempting to grind everything down, but there are still pieces of hope out there that can be found.

Footnote to Howl

While Howl by Allen Ginsberg may be over, the Footnote to Howl provided something of an additional element. It has a similar repetitive structure to the second part, but instead of constantly repeating “Moloch”, it instead repeats “Holy”. There is a far more positive aspect to everything in this particular section as everything is deemed to be holy, such as the homeless, parents, typewriters, and cafeterias.

Allen Ginsberg with partner Peter Orlovsky (1978) by Herbert Rusche; Herbert Rusche, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

This last aspect of the poem wants us to see that all is actually holy, and this has quite a Buddhist feel to it, which does make sense as Ginsberg was a Buddhist. And that is where things reach their conclusion. Ginsberg has written additional material about Howl, but those pieces of further information will not be discussed here. Hopefully, this analysis of the best-known poem of the Beat Generation has helped you to further understand the text, but perhaps you have your own interpretations to consider.

The Themes of Howl by Allen Ginsberg

While I have performed a brief Howl by Allen Ginsberg analysis, it is worth having a look at something of an overview of some of the themes that were explored throughout this text. The primary, overarching theme on display had to do with a general critique of American society at large. However, that is a very broad proclamation, and many of the themes become parts of that whole.

For instance, there is a focus on the idea of disillusionment with the way that society has become, and especially with the immensely conformist mindset of the mid-20^th century American culture.

The rather gleeful imperialism and dedication to a more unfettered style of capitalism meant that those like Ginsberg and the other Beats had a lot to criticize. Furthermore, this kind of culture led to a very repressive kind of a state of being, and as Ginsberg himself was a gay man living in a deeply homophobic country, he used Howl as a way to provide frank descriptions of homosexual sex.

Cover of Howl and Other Poems (1956) by Allen Ginsberg; Lawrence Ferlinghetti (source), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

This was a means of rebelling against the kind of repression that was so prominent, and this denial of repression is one of the major points in the poem. The same can be said of its depiction of drug use and mental illness. The use of these critiquing methods, such as going against American religious norms and capitalistic consumerism, allowed Howl by Allen Ginsberg to tackle topics that many were afraid to tackle at the time. These themes are only one of the reasons that this Beat poem has managed to reach the kinds of heights that it has, and it has remained that way ever since.

The Performance of Howl by Allen Ginsberg

There is something of a common misconception that Howl by Allen Ginsberg was initially written as a performance piece, but there is not any real evidence to show that. However, the piece has been performed, and by Ginsberg himself. So, while this poem was not actually written as a performance piece, it has been performed and certainly can be performed again.

The piece, and its strong use of emotional language, is also a perfect text for the kind of material that you might want out of a spoken word text.

The Cultural Impact of Howl by Allen Ginsberg

While we can simply read Howl by Allen Ginsberg and take in the various elements of the poem, that would actually be doing it a disservice of sorts. The poem’s cultural impact was an immense thing, and the reason for that is the fact that the poem had an impact on the law itself. You see, when this poem was first published, it was attacked by certain officials, and copies were even seized by the police.

Why did this happen? In simple terms, it was deemed obscene. There are many references in the poem to sexual intercourse, of both heterosexual and homosexual varieties, and drug use. These are the sorts of things that, in the mid-1950s, were very much taboo topics. People did these things, and they did them every single day, but you don’t talk about these things, remember? You keep quiet about them. And Howl by Allen Ginsberg was not being quiet.

Love Weight Stencil Graffiti from the poem Song (2012) by Allen Ginsberg; zeevveez from Jerusalem, Israel, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The poem soon became the subject of an obscenity trial, and certain figures were arrested for having a part in its publication or sale. The judge presiding over the case ultimately deemed that the poem contained “social importance” which meant it should be treated as a piece of protected literature. The case would also gain national attention, and it was a major story during the mid-century period. So, while the poem itself may have had fantastic literary qualities, it was the societal impact that it had that can be seen as one of the lasting impacts of the text.

There are not all that many texts in the world that can be said to have had an impact in terms of the law, but Howl by Allen Ginsberg is one such text. This poem has made its way to the heights of the literary world to be seen as one of the most influential and important poems to have ever been written, and it was also a battle cry of the Beat Generation. Hopefully, this article has given this text a good defense through all of this, but you really should read the poem for yourself if you want to see it in all its majesty.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Howl by Allen Ginsberg?

Howl is a poem that has ultimately become one of the most influential of the 20^th century. This text is now seen as one of the most prominent of the Beat Generation and a major influence on many subsequent writers in countercultural circles. The poem explores the society of the United States and serves to critique it and its repressive culture. The poem would even be caught up in an obscenity trial. There were several reasons for this but principal among them were the poem’s uncompromising depictions of topics such as homosexual sex.

Who Was Allen Ginsberg?

Allen Ginsberg was a writer who was one of the most prominent original members of the Beat Poets. He had a large impact on the Beats and would have a big influence on the countercultural movement in general. His best-known work is definitely Howl, but he did write many other poems and other works throughout his life.

What Are the Themes of Howl by Allen Ginsberg?

There are a number of themes that are explored throughout Howl by Allen Ginsberg, but they are all effectively oriented around a general critique of American society as a whole. This means that there are themes of societal disillusionment, spirituality, mental health, sexuality, and criticisms of conformity throughout the text. The way in which the poem is written can make it rather difficult to read upon first having a look.

What Type of Poem Is Howl by Allen Ginsberg?

In very simple terms, Howl by Allen Ginsberg is a free verse poem. It is made up of very long lines that make it unlike practically anything else that has ever been written. It also makes use of very unusual styles, such as having no real rhyme or meter, but instead using a jazz-like structure that is meant to give it more of a musical quality. The poem is unique and important for what it did with the form of poetry.

What Is Footnote to Howl by Allen Ginsberg?

This is a poem that was published the same year as Howl by Allen Ginsberg, but it is a little different. It is seen as something of a continuation of what was seen in the primary poem. It serves as a critique of American society, and it is written in a different style to the poem itself. For instance, it is only written as a single part but otherwise uses similar techniques to those found in the original poem.

The post “Howl” by Allen Ginsberg – A Detailed Poetic Analysis% first appeared on Art in Context.

Love After Love by Derek Walcott Analysis

The work of Derek Walcott has been influential in a variety of fields because his work also tends to have a large amount of academic interest that surrounds it. A large swath of his writings can be considered to be part of the field of postcolonialism. However, that is not as much the case when it comes to Love After Love by Derek Walcott. Regardless of this, the poem is a worthwhile instance of introspective poetry, but the only way you could really know that is if you keep reading this article. Perhaps, you could even start off with the summary that follows from this very section.

Love After Love by Derek Walcott Summary Points

Everyone loves a decent summary, right? A good summary can be a great way to learn about a topic without having to read far too much. However, a summary is also very limited in what it can offer you, and so I would recommend that you check out this summary but then move on to the Love After Love by Derek Walcott analysis that follows:

• Love After Love by Derek Walcott is about introspection. There are a number of general themes that are explored in this text, and they tend to revolve around the idea of understanding oneself and learning to be who you are meant to be. There are ideas around personal transformation and improvement that can be found within this text.
• Love After Love by Derek Walcott is a free verse poem. This means that when it comes to the general structure of the poem, it does not conform to the standard rules of poetry. It does not use consistent metrical structures, rhyme schemes, or consistent line lengths within each of the stanzas.
• Love After Love is one of the best-known Walcott poems. While Derek Walcott certainly has produced a number of other fantastic poems, he is also often known for his plays. And so some of his best-known work is in the theater as well as being found on the printed page.

This poem is considered to be one of the greatest that Walcott ever produced, but if you want to know a little more about Derek Walcott himself, you should probably get into the next section of this article.

Here we discuss the author and his works in a little more detail. 

Biography of Derek Walcott

Derek Walcott was a Caribbean poet and playwright who hailed from the island nation of Saint Lucia. His work would go on to be seen as some of the most important in the postcolonial tradition and has had a large influence on many writers around the world. He is also a highly celebrated writer who received numerous awards throughout his life, such as the Obie Award in 1971, the T.S. Eliot Prize in 2010, and the Poetry Lifetime Recognition Award in 2015. However, his highest acclaim came in 1992 when was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Regardless of these accolades, he was not without controversy as there were several decades of sexual harassment allegations that were levied against him, with some of the first being noted in the early-1980s. He would ultimately pass away in 2017.

Derek Walcott (2008); Bert Nienhuis, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

An In-Depth Love After Love by Derek Walcott Analysis

To examine Love After Love by Derek Walcott and provide an analysis, I should first stop to have a quick look at the structure of the poem in question. This text is a free verse poem, and that means that it does not make use of many of the rules that we have generally come to associate with more traditional strands of poetry. There are no standard metrical structures at play in this poem and so the different lines that make up this text are all of varying lengths.

In addition to this, there is no rhyme scheme to speak of and each of the lines is instead intended to be written more like natural speech than conforming to the sorts of rules that we have often come to associate with poetry in general.

This also all indicates that in this Love After Love by Derek Walcott analysis, we will not see the poem itself conform to any specific poetic variety, like a sonnet. With all of these notes out of the way, it’s about time that we get into the reading and analysis of this poem. The general themes of introspection and self-understanding will play a central role, and so that should be remembered as we get into things as I go over the four stanzas that make up this poem.

Stanza One

The time will come

when, with elation

you will greet yourself arriving

at your own door, in your own mirror

and each will smile at the other’s welcome,

We get to the very first line of this first stanza and we are given a more mysterious statement about a future of some kind. It simply tells us that there will be a time at some point when something happens. That something is still a mystery to us. However, the next two lines operate alongside one another through the use of enjambment and so make up one thought together.

This thought is that when this mysterious time comes, you will be greeting yourself. You will finally have that introspective meeting with yourself, and you will arrive at that meeting with elation. This is a very peculiar thing to explore as it is, obviously, physically impossible to actually have a meeting with yourself, but it points toward something that can happen to us as we get older. Once we have aged to a certain extent, we can start to actually know ourselves. It takes us a while to become someone, and only once we have become someone stable and solid, can we hope to take a look at who that person is.

The next line, which is the second to last line, reiterates this by stating that you will arrive at your own door and in front of your own mirror. This implies that there may have been a kind of invitation provided to yourself that will eventually occur and, on the other hand, the mirror provides the image of reality here. This is not necessarily an actual meeting with the self, but an extension of a look in the mirror.

The mirror is a thing that physically reflects our bodies back at us, but it does a lot more than just that. Instead of simply being a physical reflection, the mirror stands as an item that lets us truly see ourselves as others might see us.

This is why the mirror can also often make us unhappy. We can see our imperfections in a way that we can never hope to do when there is no mirror. However, the final line here tells us that we should not worry about this sort of thing. Instead, we should be happy about this prospect of self-meeting because we will smile at ourselves and enjoy the chance to be there with our own metaphorical reflection.

Stanza Two

and say, sit here. Eat.

You will love again the stranger who was your self.

Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart

to itself, to the stranger who has loved you

The next stanza picks up right where the last left off. This reads as if it could have been a part of the previous stanza. It opens with the speaker telling us that when we do finally invite ourselves in for that meeting, we will encourage them like a visitor. They can sit with us at the dinner table for a meal. This immediately has an association with the idea of conversation and pleasant company. That is the kind of person who you would invite in for a meal, after all.

So, this figure of the self would be viewed as something of a friend. However, the poem, in the second line, also states that this self is a stranger. They are someone that you need to learn to contend with in your life if you have any hope of truly understanding yourself. The self here is positioned as something simultaneously you and not you. This is, for instance, easiest to understand examining yourself in the past. Imagine yourself when you were a kid. Do you see that child as the same as you are now? Were they an entirely different person?

The third and fourth lines work alongside one another as it gives a list of things that should be given to this visitor. You should give them wine and bread, and these are the kinds of things that also have certain biblical associations with them. Breaking bread and sharing wine. This is exactly the sort of hospitality that we might expect to be able to give to our friends if they were to visit us.

And the final thought in this section, before the second half of the last line, is that you will also give this self your heart.

To give away the heart is a common expression when it comes to the notion of love. The self is someone/something that you should love. You should be willing and able to share your very being with them because they are a part of you, and you are a part of them. And the last section here also reaffirms that kind of mentality because the stranger is stated to be someone who loves you. You should reciprocate.

Stanza Three

all your life, whom you ignored

for another, who knows you by heart.

Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,

The third stanza connects back to the second stanza as that final section of the last stanza tells us that the stranger has always loved us, and this stanza opens by stating that they have done so “all your life”. You may not have loved them, but they certainly were around for you. And the first line also tells us that we have probably ignored this stranger even though they have loved you.

Instead, we have loved others. We have not loved ourselves, and the second line affirms this by stating that the stranger is the one who knows us best. They know our heart, after all. So, the fact that we have pushed them away is a terrible thing indeed. We should have been there to hear them and to support them, and they may have done the same with us. In keeping with the internal logic of the poem, the final line of this stanza bleeds into the first line of the next. So, I will discuss that in more detail below, but it starts by telling us that we need to find our love letters.

This starts the examination of our personal and sentimental artifacts.

Stanza Four

the photographs, the desperate notes,

peel your own image from the mirror.

Sit. Feast on your life.

As was stated above, the last line of the previous stanza told us to find our love letters, and the first line of this one says to do the same with our photographs and notes to ourselves. These items hold our memories. They show us the changes that we have undergone in our lives, and they allow us to see how much we have grown as we have lived through it all.

The second line tells us that we must find ourselves in the mirror, our stranger, or selves, and we must finally, as the final line tells us, sit there and truly look back on who we are. The feast at the table with ourselves, where we break bread and share wine, is a feast on ourselves. We must look back on everything and nourish ourselves with our own self-reflection and an understanding of who we are in this world.

The Themes of Love After Love by Derek Walcott

When it comes to our Love After Love by Derek Walcott analysis, it can be useful to stop off after the more line-by-line examination to look at things from more of a big-picture view. In this case, we should attempt to understand some of the major themes that are at play within this poem. The primary areas of interest to examine when it comes to this particular poem is to look at the text from a sense of introspection. The poem explores ideas related to the self, such as understanding and accepting oneself. Along with this, we can see ideas related to becoming content with ourselves while learning to grow and transform over time.

These are some of the notable points in this particular poem.

The Other Work of Derek Walcott

Derek Walcott was indeed known for writing poetry, but it is not necessarily what he is even best known for, because he was also an important and well-known playwright. Some of his best plays are considered to be those like Dream on Monkey Mountain (1970) and Pantomime (1976). However, his work extended even further than only into the realms of the necessarily creative. In addition to plays and poems, he was an academic. He wrote a variety of essays and critical pieces. He wrote on a wide array of topics, such as literature and politics. This helped to solidify his place as an important figure in the world of literature for decades. The influence that Walcott exerted on many different fields cannot be overstated.

Derek Walcott (2012); Jorge Mejía peralta, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

There are many introspective poems out there, but many would attest that Love After Love by Derek Walcott is one of the best that has ever been written. Perhaps you feel in a similar way, but perhaps not. This article has attempted to provide an analysis of this poem alongside some other discussions about Walcott himself and the themes of the poem in question. However, there is a lot more of his work out there that is worth examining, and all you need to do is find it!

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Love After Love by Derek Walcott?

This is a poem that focuses on ideas related to the introspective understanding of the self. It is a poem that explores what it means to have a self and to learn and grow as a person. This poem is also considered to be one of the best that Derek Walcott ever produced, and he is seen as one of the most important figures in the postcolonial tradition.

Who Was Derek Walcott?

Derek Walcott was a Saint Lucian writer who is best known for his poetry and plays. He has come to be seen as one of the most important writers in the postcolonial tradition, and he would even go on to become the recipient of the 1992 Nobel Prize in Literature. His work has continued to be enjoyed and analyzed to this day, although he was not controversy-free in his life and had numerous sexual harassment allegations leveled against him over the years. 

What Are the Themes of Love After Love by Derek Walcott?

The primary themes that you would find in a Love After Love by Derek Walcott analysis are those to do with introspection. The poem wants us to learn to have a sense of self-understanding and acceptance, to learn how to grow and transform, and to find some sense of inner peace. These themes are explored deftly despite the relative shortness of the poem in question.

What Did Derek Walcott Write Other Than Poetry?

Derek Walcott may have written a lot of poetry, but he also wrote plays, and they are often seen as some of the most important and noteworthy pieces that he ever wrote. However, he also wrote a lot more than only creative work. In addition to all of this, Walcott was also an academic and wrote numerous essays and works of criticism. So, the work of Derek Walcott was vast and multifaceted.

What Are the Other Poems of Derek Walcott?

Derek Walcott wrote many poems during his life, and some of the most notable include A City’s Death by Fire (1962), Another Life (1973), and Omeros (1990). However, it should always be noted that while he did write many great poems, he was also a playwright and academic. So, when examining the full selection of literature that he produced, looking at his poetry alone is far from enough.

The post “Love After Love” by Derek Walcott – Explore This Poem% first appeared on Art in Context.

If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda Analysis

If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda is considered to be one of the best poems by this notable Chilean figure, and its examination of longing has come to be seen as some of the best of the 20th century. This is the reason that I shall be committing to a far more in-depth look at this text. However, let’s first have a look at something else to help us on our way.

Pablo Neruda (1963); Unknown (Mondadori Publishers), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda Summary Points

It can be very helpful to have a nice little summary of things to come, and that is exactly the point of what we will be doing right here. This summary should be beneficial to you if you wish to learn about If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda:

• If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda is a poem about longing. The text is concerned with an immense sense of longing that one might experience when one is deeply in love with another.
• If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda is written in free verse. This means that it does not follow any ordinary kind of structure, and it also does not use rhyme or a set meter throughout the poem.
• If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda was originally in Spanish. The original title of this poem was Si tú me olvidas, but it has been translated into many languages throughout the world.

A good summary is a useful thing. However, this poem should also be examined in a far more in-depth fashion. That is what I will soon do for you.

Let’s first have a look at a very brief biography of the writer in question.

Biography of Pablo Neruda

Pablo Neruda is considered to be one of the most important writers of the 20^th century as well as being considered to be the national poet of Chile. He was involved in the politics of the country and was even forced to flee Chile for a time because of his role in the political landscape of the country. His work is seen as powerful and explores ideas related to love, the natural world, and politics. However, the best way to come to a better understanding of him is by having a look at some of the poetry for which he was so famous.

Portrait of Pablo Neruda (1967) by Annemarie Heinrich; Annemarie Heinrich (1912-2005), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

An In-Depth Analysis of If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda

As we get into this analysis of If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda, we should first note that this poem is written in a free verse style. This means that there are no real uses of definitive rhyme or metrical structure. However, while this is the case with much of the poetry that Pablo Neruda wrote, it is still worth mentioning something about translation here. You see, the fact that this poem was translated is actually quite an important thing.

Whenever you translate something from one language to another, you will automatically change the words and how they are used.

In many languages, word orders are changed, and so this could irrevocably alter the rhyme of a poem because the wrong words are in the wrong order. However, this is similar to when it comes to the differences in words themselves. If you had written that a “tree makes you free”, you can see that rhyme in English, but arbre (tree) and gratuite (free) do not rhyme at all. You can also see that these English examples have one syllable each, but the French translations do not. So, the meter of a poem would also be changed by translating it.

Why mention all of this when it comes to an analysis of If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda? Well, because this poem was ordinarily written in Spanish! That means that the entire poem had to be altered from its original form into what it can be read as in English. You should keep this in mind and, generally, focus more on the content of the text rather than the form because the form, such as the language and composition, would likely have changed quite a lot.

Stanza One

I want you to know

one thing.

The first stanza of If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda is a very short one and it is a single statement. However, this statement is spread over two lines and so it features the use of enjambment to run from one line to the next. This statement simply reads that the speaker wants us, as the readers, to know just one thing. What that thing is, we have not yet been made aware.

However, this is a powerful way to open a poem as it allows us to immediately start wondering what exactly this thing is that the speaker wants us to know. It creates a certain sense of expectation.

Stanza Two

You know how this is:

if I look

at the crystal moon, at the red branch

of the slow autumn at my window,

if I touch

near the fire

the impalpable ash

or the wrinkled body of the log,

everything carries me to you,

as if everything that exists,

aromas, light, metals,

were little boats

that sail

toward those isles of yours that wait for me.

The first four lines that are presented to us in this stanza provide to us a single thought, and that thought is directly tied up with a setting. We are told about a moon that looks like a crystal in the sky and a branch that is colored red. The season has been labeled as autumn, or fall, and so we know that the world can take on more of an orange hue at this time of year.

The next four lines contain their own series of thoughts, and they contemplate the way in which the speaker might touch that fire that can be found above us all or the tree from which the branch extends.

We are provided with the imagery of the natural world here. And that is reaffirmed when it comes to the speaker’s next statement. Over the next few lines, the speaker discusses the way in which he is brought to thoughts of his lover. These natural elements make him think of her. Every smell, touch, and sight led him to think of her. He even states that all of those sensations are metaphorical boats that take him toward her.

Stanza Three

Well, now,

if little by little you stop loving me

I shall stop loving you little by little.

This is a rather short stanza, and it tells us something very simple. He loves this person, but if she were to stop loving him, he would stop loving her. It would be a lengthier process, as he refers to it as happening “little by little”, but it would still eventually come to pass.

The longing and desire he has to be with her is something ephemeral, and it can fade away the longer he is apart from her.

Stanza Four

If suddenly

you forget me

do not look for me,

for I shall already have forgotten you.

This fourth stanza operates alongside the previous stanza by stating that if she were to simply forget about him, to abandon him, then he would have done the same to her. This shows a reciprocal understanding of love. It cannot simply be a one-sided affair for it to be able to last through time and remain as strong and firm as ever.

There is a need for both partners in a relationship to be present for the other.

Stanza Five

If you think it long and mad,

the wind of banners

that passes through my life,

and you decide

to leave me at the shore

of the heart where I have roots,

remember

that on that day,

at that hour,

I shall lift my arms

and my roots will set off

to seek another land.

The use of both natural and naval imagery persists in this stanza as the speaker addresses this lover of his. He states that if she does not accept the little boats mentioned before, and they are not caught on the wind that guides him to her and her to him, then their love for one another will gradually fade away and wither into nothingness.

She states that if she were to leave his boat at the shore if she were to abandon him, then he would pull himself away.

There is also the image of a tree here with deep roots. When he is with her, his roots are powerful and firm, but if she were to abandon him and no longer wish for him to be there, then he would pull out his own roots so that he might find some other place to call his home. We are treated to further geographical images here. She is referred to as a series of isles in the second stanza, and so she is directly compared to the land into which roots can be planted. However, he would “seek another land” in which to plant his roots if it comes to that. We can see that while there is a sense of longing in the speaker, there is also a fear of being abandoned, and a determination to not allow that abandonment to persist if he is not taken as her lover.

Stanza Six

But

if each day,

each hour,

you feel that you are destined for me

with implacable sweetness,

if each day a flower

climbs up to your lips to seek me,

ah my love, ah my own,

in me all that fire is repeated,

in me nothing is extinguished or forgotten,

my love feeds on your love, beloved,

and as long as you live it will be in your arms

without leaving mine.

Once we get to the final stanza of If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda, we can see that the text repeatedly provides the speaker’s lover with something of an ultimatum. He tells her that if she wants to be with him and feels that she is destined for him and he for her, then they can be together forever. Their love and connection are compared to a flower and fire.

There is also a sensuality to describing the way that their lips will come together if she decides to be with him, and this will seal them together with one another.

It states that “my love feeds on your love”, and so that reciprocity that was mentioned before can be seen in full swing here too. Their love cannot be one-sided because it simply will never work. They need to love one another, and then they will be in each other’s arms for the rest of their lives. Thus ends If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda, and, hopefully, this analysis has elucidated what it discusses.

The Themes of If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda

The primary themes that can be found in If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda include those to do with a sense of deep longing. There are fears of being abandoned and a desire to be with someone who is the object of immense affection. It may not be quite right to see the poem as necessarily being about love itself but rather the feelings that emerge alongside love. This is one of the reasons that the poem has come to be so beloved over the decades since it was published.

20 Love Poems and a Song of Despair (2009) by Pablo Neruda; Verlagsgruppe Random House, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons

Over the course of this article, I have provided an analysis of the poem in question, but there is much to still be learned if you read it for yourself. However, the more you read any writer’s work, the more you will come to understand the kind of message that they wished to present to the world. If you want to learn a whole lot more than what I have shown you today, you can certainly do so!

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda?

This is a poem by Pablo Neruda that is notable as one of the most well-known of his career. It is concerned with feelings of longing for a loved one. It is known for the way that it uses vivid and emotional language.

Who Was Pablo Neruda?

Pablo Neruda was a Chilean writer and politician. While his political work was aimed at diplomatic relations, his poetry spanned a number of topics such as love, politics, and the natural world. His work has been an inspiration to many, and it can be noted as some of the best of the previous century.

What Are the Themes of If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda?

The principal themes that are explored in If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda include those related to a sense of deep devotion and longing that can be experienced by those who are in love. However, there is also a sense of realism that can be noted within it.

The post “If You Forget Me” by Pablo Neruda – A Formal Poem Analysis% first appeared on Art in Context.

Analysis of i carry your heart by ee cummings

When it comes to the poems of ee cummings, there are few as notable as i carry your heart. This poem has come to be seen as one of his best, and it is an exploration of love and adoration. The remainder of this article will be to examine the poem itself and to see how it explores these ideas and concepts. However, before we do dive into any of that, let’s first give ourselves a break and check out a summary.

e.e. cummings (1953) by Walter Albertin; Walter Albertin, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

i carry your heart by ee cummings Summary Points

We will be getting into a far more in-depth examination of i carry your heart by ee cummings, but before we do get into anything like that, it can be useful to have a summary first. This can help you with what to expect before you dive in. So, here it is:

• i carry your heart by ee cummings is about love. The central ideas that are explored in the text are oriented around adoration for another. While the poem may make use of a strange style, it is still essentially just a love poem.
• i carry your heart by ee cummings is a free verse poem. This is immensely common throughout the work of ee cummings. He would often refuse to follow the standard rules of language and make use of strange terms and unusual forms.
• i carry your heart is one of ee cummings’ best poems. There are thousands of ee cummings poems out there, but this specific one has come to be seen as particularly notable.

This has been my brief summary of i carry your heart by ee cummings, but it hardly does the text justice. The only way that we can do justice to this poem is if we get deeper into it.

So, we should probably do just that!

Biography of ee cummings

The work of Edward Estlin Cummings, better known as ee cummings or E.E. Cummings or e. e. cummings (or however you want to write it!), has come to be seen as some of the most important of the Modernist movement. This is because his poetry is typically noted for its refusal to adhere to the norms of language or poetry in general. He would make use of strange typography, invent words or new word forms, and even explore topics that are often seen as taboo, such as marital infidelity. He wrote thousands of poems in his life, and his work influenced so many around the world, and so an analysis of i carry your heart by ee cummings is the least that we can do!

E. E. Cummings signature (nd); E.E. Cummings Created in vector format by Scewing, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

An In-Depth Analysis of i carry your heart by ee cummings

Whenever you decide to have a look at an ee cummings poem, you need to remember that he did not exactly write in a particularly conventional way. Instead, he generally wrote in a very non-traditional way! His work has come to be noted for making use of the free verse form and therefore has no real poetic rules that they definitively follow. This also means that they can be rather difficult to break up for the purpose of analysis. In this particular analysis, I will be breaking it up into three stanzas, but the first stanza could possibly be broken into two.

This will be noted when I get to it, but for now, we can treat it as one stanza.

Once you get into any of his poems, and i carry your heart is no exception, we need to pay attention to the more unconventional use of poetic structure, the presence of strange uses of grammar, and language that can be peculiar and difficult to understand. His work is often symbolic in nature, and even his love poetry can be viewed in this way. However, we should probably stop wasting our time talking about it and rather get into the analysis itself. So, let’s do exactly that!

Stanza One

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in

my heart)i am never without it(anywhere

i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done

by only me is your doing,my darling)

                                                      i fear

no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want

no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)

and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

The lines in this poem make heavy use of enjambment and that means that analyzing on a more line-by-line basis can be rather difficult. Instead, I’ll be looking at it through more of a thought-by-thought basis. This is why the first line and the first half of the second line form one thought, and that is to metaphorically state that the speaker carries his lover’s heart with him and that he carries said heart within his own heart.

This is very obviously a metaphorical message as a literal reading would have something to do with heart transplants, and that is not the focus of this particular poem! Instead, it implies that the speaker’s lover is always with them on a more spiritual and metaphorical level. Those we love live within our hearts, and so they can never be truly separated from us because they are directly connected to us.

Beata Beatrix (1864) by Dante Gabriel Rossetti; Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons 

The second thought, which follows from the first with no spaces between the bracket that ends one thought and the next statement, is that the speaker is never without his lover’s heart. Instead, he is connected to it. This is an exploration of the deeper bonds that connect those who are in love with one another, and the remainder of this thought, which can be found in the brackets, continues until the end of that line and takes up another two.

This thought is connected to the idea of never being separated from his lover (and it is in brackets to reinforce the idea that these thoughts are connected to one another). This connected thought reaffirms this idea of being connected by stating that no matter where he goes, his lover will be with him, and that whatever he does, seemingly on his own, was actually done by her.

These first few lines constitute what we could see as its own stanza, and that is because the next line, which simply reads “I fear”, is pushed to the right-hand side of the poem so that there is a large gap along the standard margins of a poem. However, this single line does not stand alone and is instead part of its own new thought.

This thought is that he has no fate outside of his lover. They are connected in terms of both their bodies and actions, but also their destinies. The future of one is the future of the other. This kind of all-encompassing thinking can be seen in the next thought too, and this thought states that his lover is his entire world. These feelings lead him to feel that there is little in the world that is outside of her.

The final two lines of this stanza, which also make up one thought with juxtaposing images, state that she is the moon and the sun. This implies that his lover is all of time for him. She is basically everything that exists and thanks to this, there is nothing else that is needed for him. This all rounds off the first stanza, and it is, by far, the longest of the three.

Stanza Two

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows

higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart

When it comes to the stanzas of an ee cummings poem, you cannot expect consistency. The same is true of i carry your heart by ee cummings because the second stanza has far fewer lines than the first and is practically half the size. Don’t worry though, because the last stanza is even shorter! But we’ll get to that later.

The Tree of Life (1910-1911) by Gustav Klimt; Gustav Klimt, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

This stanza opens by stating that there is a secret that only the speaker is aware of, and this creates anticipation in the reader, and the next three lines stand to give an explanation of that secret that he has within himself. This bracketed section states that everything, from the root to the bud to the sky itself is part of a tree that is called “life”. This tree of life grows more than anything else in the world, and that is the love that the speaker holds for the one that he loves.

The final line of this stanza states that this tree, which is the secret, is the thing that is so powerful that it keeps the heavens themselves split. This indicates that he views his love for her in immensely hyperbolic terms, but that is the way that many instances of love poetry go, right?

The love of another is the most powerful and important thing in the world within the confines of poetry of this variety.

Stanza Three

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

In the poetry of ee cummings, repetition can often be found, and this final line echoes the first line and a half of the poem. It is not identical, but only because of the lack of a few words. It reaffirms that he carries her heart and that he carries it within his own heart. We have already interrogated this particular idea in the sections that preceded this one, but the fact that it was repeated indicates that it is an important statement that needs to be understood. This is the final message and meaning of the poem. It is about love and connection, and that the connection cannot be severed when true love blossoms.

The Kiss (1859) by Francesco Hayez; Francesco Hayez, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons 

The Themes of i carry your heart by ee cummings

When we look at a poem like i carry your heart by ee cummings, we can see a number of different themes at play. The central idea is oriented around love. However, this love is also a means of exploring the way in which we can feel that we have come to be intimately connected to the ones that we love. It shows that sense of unity that can be found between lovers. The idea of them becoming of one soul, in a sense. This is reinforced through the idea of the heart as it is presented in the poem, and the commitment that comes with true love is of paramount importance.

e.e. cummings poem–“i carry your heart with me” written in a diary (2014); Sarah Hina, CC BY-NC 4.0, via Flickr

We have arrived at the conclusion to my brief analysis of i carry your heart by ee cummings. In this article, I have provided you with a short and sweet summary of the writer, an examination of some of the themes of the poem, and a deeper dive into the poem itself. However, there are many other poems by ee cummings out there, and I mean many, so if you enjoyed this one, there are many more to find.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is i carry your heart by ee cummings?

This is a poem that has come to be seen as one of the most famous of ee cummings’ career. It is a poem that explores love and devotion, and it has come to be noted for its powerful use of romantic imagery and unconventional language.

Who Was ee cummings?

ee cummings was an important poet of the Modernist movement. He is seen as an innovator because of his unusual use of language and form in poetry. His work has influenced many writers throughout the globe, and he’s considered one of the most notable users of the free verse style of poetry.

What Are the Themes of i carry your heart by ee cummings?

The principal themes that can be found in this poem have to do with love. The poem is ultimately a love poem, and it explores ideas related to connections between lovers, the notion of eternal love, and how we can become one with the one we love.

The post “i carry your heart” by ee cummings – An In-Depth Analysis% first appeared on Art in Context.

Death Is Nothing At All by Henry Scott Holland Analysis

Not everything we see as a poem was intended to be a poem. In the case of Death Is Nothing At All by Henry Scott Holland, it was instead written as part of a far larger text. In this case, that larger text was a sermon. The full sermon was titled “Death the King of Terrors”. This is also quite the title as it was delivered after King Edward VII died. However, while it does sound rather morbid, the poem is actually a rather optimistic elegy. You’ll only know for sure if you keep reading though.

King Edward VII (1902-1912) by Luke Fildes; Luke Fildes, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Death Is Nothing At All by Henry Scott Holland Summary Points

While the full article that you are currently reading will give you a good overview of a Death Is Nothing At All by Henry Scott Holland analysis, this summary may help before you even get into that. These are a few points to get you started, but if you want something more in-depth, you’ll need to read more than just this summary:

• Death Is Nothing At All by Henry Scott Holland is an elegy. This means that the poem is intended as an exploration of death. In this case, it has a more optimistic note to it as it focuses on the memory of those who have passed as well as the spiritual belief that they are not entirely gone.
• Death Is Nothing At All by Henry Scott Holland was not originally intended as a poem. While we have come to see this as a poem in the modern day, it was originally written as part of a larger sermon. This sermon was written for King Edward VII, who had recently died when this sermon was preached.
• Death Is Nothing At All by Henry Scott Holland does not follow a standard structure. This poem has variable line lengths and no real rhyme scheme. It was never actually written as a poem but has come to be seen as one. This likely explains why it does not really read like a traditional poem.

And while this has only been a collection of three points, it should be enough for a short and sweet summary. However, if you do wish to learn significantly more about Death Is Nothing At All by Henry Scott Holland, then you will have to read on.

There is still much to discuss.

Biography of Henry Scott Holland

Henry Scott Holland was a 19^th and 20th-century figure who would go on to be a rather prominent one in the realm of the Church of England. This may cause one to wonder why he has come to be known for a poem that he wrote seeing as he was not actually a poet, and that is true. Instead, he was a figure in the church who was also known for his strong dedication to social justice causes, such as urban poverty.

During his career, he came to work in the church and also at Oxford University as a professor. His work in theology informed many of the sermons that he wrote, and in one of those sermons can be found the poem that we are going to analyze today. So, he may not have necessarily intended it as something to exist by itself, but it can still stand on its own. Other than his work in the church, he founded an organization that worked to fight against poverty in the country. It laid the blame on the state of capitalism at the time, and he would spend much of his life on this cause. His work led to him being a prominent figure during his lifetime.

An In-Depth Death Is Nothing At All by Henry Scott Holland Analysis

When we look at Death Is Nothing At All by Henry Scott Holland, we need to first understand that it is an elegy. What does that mean? Well, it basically means that it will be sad! Or at least, that’s what we typically mean when looking at these kinds of poems because an elegy is a poem about death. However, this particular poem is not one of the sadder elegies out there. It is a poem that is more interested in comforting those who have been left behind, and this makes it a far more optimistic elegy than many that we might otherwise encounter.

In addition to this, Death Is Nothing At All by Henry Scott Holland was not originally intended as a poem and was instead part of a far larger sermon.

This indicates that the text is classified as a free verse poem. It does not have a consistent rhyme scheme or meter. Instead, it is simply a series of stanzas that also do not follow a consistent number of lines, and they aim toward a more positive approach to death while not necessarily following standard rules and conventions of poetry. You will only truly see this once you have started to actually check out this poem. So, let’s do exactly that!

Stanza One

Death is nothing at all.

I have only slipped away to the next room.

I am I and you are you.

Whatever we were to each other,

That, we still are.

The first line of this poem is written in a very nonchalant fashion. It simply states that death is nothing to be concerned about. This is a rather strange and peculiar way to approach the topic of death, but it certainly does have a far more flippant tone than the immensely somber ways in which death is usually discussed in elegies.

The next line informs us that the speaker is the recently deceased. They tell the reader that they have simply departed from this place, they have slipped out, and have gone to the adjourning room. This gives it a very casual and calm kind of a feeling. One in which we can see death as something that simply happens and is part of life rather than something morose. The third line tells us that the speaker is himself and that we are ourselves, and the next lines continue on with this thought that while we are separate entities, we knew each other in life. Regardless of death’s presence, we are still those things.

When our friends die, they are still our friends even if they are not here with us any longer.

Stanza Two

Call me by my old familiar name.

Speak to me in the easy way

which you always used.

Put no difference into your tone.

Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.

The first line of this stanza implores us to continue using the name of the dead. It is easier and better that way. It allows us to continue to communicate with them, even if they cannot respond to us. The three lines that make up the first section reiterate that we must simply speak to the departed as we have always done.

The next two lines tell us that we must not suddenly become serious or try to be all solemn or sad simply because they are dead. Treat them the same way that we did while they were alive! Why would they want you to act any differently simply because they’re dead and gone?

This gives the message of the dead a very positive and jovial spin to it.

Stanza Three

Laugh as we always laughed

at the little jokes we enjoyed together.

Play, smile, think of me. Pray for me.

Let my name be ever the household word

that it always was.

Let it be spoken without effect.

Without the trace of a shadow on it.

The joviality persists into the next section as it tells us that we should continue to laugh as we have always done and keep making jokes. We shouldn’t just become sad because they’re gone, and it certainly isn’t disrespectful to joke about and with the dead, especially if they had been like that in life.

The third line gives us a great means of examining that same thought as it tells us to plan and smile as we think of them. However, there is still religiosity there as it tells us that we should also pray for them. This is not something unusual for those who are religious as praying for someone who is alive is also common practice. The next lines continue on with the idea of saying the name of this person who has passed away.

We should continue to use it without acting as if it is a taboo term that should never be used.

Stanza Four

Life means all that it ever meant.

It is the same that it ever was.

There is absolute unbroken continuity.

Why should I be out of mind

because I am out of sight?

This second to last of the standard-length stanzas tells us that simply because death has come into our lives, that does not mean that life has changed at all. In fact, death is a part of life, and this stanza attempts to affirm that in several ways. 

It tells us that all is as it is meant to be, it is the same as it ever was, and there is nothing that has come to be broken because of death. The final two lines serve as a single sentence when they tell us that simply because the speaker is dead, that does not mean he should be put out of mind and ignored.

The dead, especially from a religious perspective but also from the perspective of memory, are still with us in some or another sense.

Stanza Five

I am but waiting for you.

For an interval.

Somewhere. Very near.

Just around the corner.

This last of the proper, lengthier stanzas is more of an informational statement on the realities of death. That is because death will come for us all. It may sound like something bad or scary, but death is coming. The speaker, as one of the dead, is also simply waiting. He is in the afterlife and just waiting around until you get to meet up with him again.

The last two lines really focus on how soon this event is. It’s near and “just around the corner”. This is also a statement that can probably cause many to fear because we do not actually know what happens after we die.

It is a scary unknown, but it is, regardless of that, still something that we cannot avoid, and at least we can be with our loved ones again.

Stanza Six

All is well.

The final stanza is only made up of one line, and that line simply tells us that everything is going to be fine. It’s easy to not believe something like this. We don’t know what death holds, but the speaker is communicating, in the fiction of this poem, from the beyond. So, to them, nothing remains that should be feared.

The Themes of Death Is Nothing At All by Henry Scott Holland

When we take on board the themes that are on display in a poem, we need to read the text carefully to be able to see and understand it all. In this case, as the poem is an elegy, it focuses on death. In more specific terms, it focuses on a more positive view of the end of life. In essence, we are told about the way in which life continues after death, that there is not necessarily a complete and utter end to things because of the death that has come upon us.

Furthermore, Death Is Nothing At All by Henry Scott Holland also explores themes related to the memory of those who have passed, and to a comforting sense of nostalgia.

The Funeral (1867) by Edouard Manet; Édouard Manet, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

When someone has passed away, we often think of them and laugh and smile at who they were rather than necessarily focusing on the fact that they are now dead.  This immediately depicts Death Is Nothing At All by Henry Scott Holland as a poem that is far more positive and optimistic about the prospect of death itself. It may be a tragedy when someone passes away, but we should instead spend our time focusing on who they were and how they affected us throughout their lives.

There are a great many elegies out there and loads of them have come to be beloved as a means of understanding and coping with the realities of death itself. However, the more positive and optimistic way in which Death Is Nothing At All by Henry Scott Holland presents this to us is likely a breath of fresh air in comparison to the usual kind of immense sadness that can be found in many other elegies. They are not really known for being enjoyable, in the common understanding of that term, after all!

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Death Is Nothing At All by Henry Scott Holland?

This poem was written by Henry Scott Holland as a sermon rather than a poem. The full sermon, of which the poem is a part, was written for the recently deceased King Edward VII. However, while this was the initial purpose, it has since come to be seen as a powerful elegy that is read at many funerals because of the more comforting portrayal of death that it provides.

Who Was Henry Scott Holland?

Henry Scott Holland was not really known as a poet as much as he was an important 19^th and early 20th-century figure in the Church of England. He took a keen interest in social justice and even fought against capitalist-induced poverty. While he may not have been much known as a poet, he certainly was a prolific writer. He produced many sermons and essays throughout his career.

What Are the Themes of Death Is Nothing At All by Henry Scott Holland?

The themes that are explored in Death Is Nothing At All by Henry Scott Holland have to do with death in general, but in more particular terms, it has an optimistic note to it. Many elegies are rather depressing, but this poem explores the life of those who have died by focusing on the memory of them and how they may have passed from this world, but they are not necessarily gone from all of existence.

The post “Death Is Nothing At All” by Henry Scott Holland – An Analysis% first appeared on Art in Context.

Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou Analysis

The purpose of our discussion today will be to analyze and understand Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou. This empowerment poem that examines femininity and more of its non-Western forms is a great text that should be read by anyone interested in topics such as this. However, we can first start off with something a little different.

Poet and activist Maya Angelou addresses students and staff at Tennessee Technological University (2012); Brian Stansberry (photographer), CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou Summary Points

While this article is meant to give you a good overall understanding of Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou, there is also a benefit to a short summary before we actually kick things off. So, let’s do that first:

• Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou is about femininity. The text explores an understanding of femininity in opposition to more Westernized understandings of it that would have been prominent when this poem was written. You would see this as going against the norm in the Western country she hailed from.
• Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou is an empowerment poem. Like a number of the poems that Maya Angelou wrote, this poem is aimed at a sense of empowerment. Angelou had a difficult early life, and so the use of more empowering verses would have played nicely into the kind of message that she wanted to present to the world.
• Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou is a free verse poem. This means that the poem does not follow conventional structural norms, and this includes a rhyme scheme and metrical structure. The poem more closely resembles ordinary speech than the kind one might find in traditional poetry.

While this summary has been very short, it should have also, hopefully, been helpful.

However, before we actually get to that whole analysis of the poem in question, let’s first get an answer to a different question: who wrote Phenomenal Woman?

Biography of Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou is one of the most important African American poets to have ever lived, and her work was an integral component of the art of the Civil Rights Movement. However, while she was well-known for her poetry and autobiographies, she was also a powerful activist outside of literary circles. Her work has continued to be an inspiration to this day, and her life story is also one that has been noted by many around the world.

Portrait photograph of Maya Angelou with a copy of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1971); AP photo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

For instance, before she even became a writer, Maya Angelou had worked many different jobs, been involved in decolonization efforts in Africa, and lived as a sex worker. Her many experiences in her life led her to be able to produce some of the most potent written works of the 20th century. This is why her poetry, such as Phenomenal Woman, is worth reading and examining.

An In-Depth Analysis of Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou

The first thing to note when it comes to an analysis of Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou is that this text is a free verse poem. This means that there are no ordinary rules of poetry that are followed throughout the poem. Instead, the text emulates something closer to ordinary speech. There is no consistent rhyme scheme or standard structure, and the line length varies between lines, and this further implies that there is not any real metrical structure to be found here. All of these aspects of the text are very standard when it comes to free verse poetry.

However, one interesting thing to note about this particular text is that it also makes use of a kind of descending line length at times. This is not consistently used in every single stanza, but there are a number of the stanzas of this poem that have this particular feature.

Essentially, the first lines of some of the stanzas are the longest, and the rest of the lines become shorter and shorter as it progresses. This makes for a rather interesting typography that is worth noting. One of the effects of it is that each subsequent line becomes punchier and punchier as the poem continues. However, this is all to do with the general structure of Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou. The poem does make use of repetitive elements to aid in the rhythm of the text even though it does not have a rhyme scheme as one might ordinarily find in more traditional instances of poetry. This may be something interesting to note in the poem, but the only real way to get into things properly is if we stop our dawdling and instead get properly into our Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou analysis!

Stanza One

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.

I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size  

But when I start to tell them,

They think I’m telling lies.

I say,

It’s in the reach of my arms,

The span of my hips,  

The stride of my step,  

The curl of my lips.  

I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,  

That’s me.

When we first have a look at this poem, we open with a statement. This statement tells us that the speaker knows what so-called “pretty women” think about her. We open here with this idea of there being some kind of a secret that these pretty women do not know. The secret can be found within the speaker herself, and that secret will start to elucidate as the poem continues into the second line.

This line is full of statements about the speaker herself. She states that she does not look like a traditionally “pretty” woman, which already directly juxtaposes her against those “pretty women” who are mentioned in the first line of this text. She states that she is not cute, and she lacks the appearance of a model. These are overt statements on attractiveness, and it makes use of more feminine terms too. While a male certainly can be cute or a fashion model, we tend to have an immediate association with these terms and women.

Portrait photograph of Maya Angelou (1974) by Jill Krementz; Jill Krementz, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The next two lines are connected with one another via enjambment and so they can be read as a single thought. The speaker says that when she starts to tell these “pretty women” about her secret, they do not believe her. There is an immediate sense of hostility that can be read into lines of this nature. The women who do not look like her are not willing to accept what she has to say, and this does track with a certain stereotypical behavior that is often ascribed to women. The stereotype of being jealous of other women and, as will become evident, how they can be attractive to men.

The next five lines are connected to one another, and they each cover other physical elements. This is similar to the second line in that it tells us direct physical attributes that are not traditionally seen as “attractive” from a more Westernized perspective. These include long arms, wide hips, and curled lips. However, the very next line affirms the connections between these so-called “unattractive” attributes and femininity when she states that “I’m a woman”.

Lines like this serve as a means of affirmation. They are telling the reader something in a very obvious way.

There is no hiding behind complex language. The meaning has been directly presented to us. And this is also where the last three lines come into play where they repeatedly use the phrase “phenomenal” in relation to her as a woman. She may not have what Western beauty standards may deem as beautiful, but she is a phenomenally attractive woman regardless of what those sectors of society might have to say.

Stanza Two

I walk into a room

Just as cool as you please,  

And to a man,

The fellows stand or

Fall down on their knees.  

Then they swarm around me,

A hive of honey bees.  

I say,

It’s the fire in my eyes,  

And the flash of my teeth,  

The swing in my waist,  

And the joy in my feet.  

I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

The second stanza of Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou opens with another call toward her behavior that has made her so attractive to men. This is an explanation of the “secret” she has that was mentioned in the previous stanza. However, unlike in that stanza, there is no focus on what other women have to think about her. Instead, it focuses entirely on what men think about her.

It opens with how she claims that when she walks into a room, men stand for her or fall to their knees. Now, this is likely metaphorical as there are not very many people who immediately fall to their knees upon seeing anyone (except maybe monarchs of old), but the meaning can be easily understood here. Essentially, it tells us that men sit up and pay attention when she appears. The second line of the poem also mentions the way in which she enters a room. It states that she enters them cooly, and this implies a certain calm confidence to her very movement.

Press photo of Maya Angelou for Calypso Heat Wave (1957); Columbia Pictures Corp., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

This affirms that it is not simply her appearance that might make men turn their heads, as was implied in the first stanza, but rather that it is also the way that she acts. She presents herself to the world in a particular way, and that way causes men to want to sit up and pay attention. This is also stated through an animal metaphor in the sixth and seventh lines. She states that they swarm around her. They are honeybees and she is the flower they desire. The use of honeybees also immediately implies that she is sweet, which does not, obviously, mean that she is literally sweet like sugar but is instead sweet in the more general sense.

The next few lines blend behaviors with physical appearance as they state that her attractiveness comes from the way in which she presents her physical attributes. She has a passionate fire in her eyes and a joy in her walk and dance. These are shown by blending these elements. Sure, it mentions her eyes, but it also mentions how those eyes are perceived. The behavior behind the physical is what matters here.

The last of the two lines in this stanza are reaffirmations of the repetitive use of “phenomenal woman”, and you will see that the very next stanza is quite a repetition too.

Stanza Three

Phenomenal woman,

That’s me.

This stanza is fairly simple in what it wishes to affirm. It is only two lines long and it simply reaffirms the idea of her being a phenomenal woman. This is probably to be expected in Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou seeing as it is the name of the poem, after all. This stanza serves as a repetitive reinforcement of the general themes that have thus far been explored within this poem, and the next stanza continues in that regard.

Portrait photograph of Maya Angelou (1978) by Marlene Callahan Wallace; Marlene Callahan Wallace, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Stanza Four

Men themselves have wondered  

What they see in me.

They try so much

But they can’t touch

My inner mystery.

When I try to show them,  

They say they still can’t see.  

I say,

It’s in the arch of my back,  

The sun of my smile,

The ride of my breasts,

The grace of my style.

I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That’s me.

The first line here is a callback to the early lines of the initial stanza of this poem. Back then, the speaker stated that women do not understand her secret. Here, however, it is shown that men do not understand her secret either. They find her alluring, but they cannot necessarily understand why that is the case. They may desire her, but they are unable to truly understand why that is the case with them.

The fourth and fifth lines reaffirm that these men cannot truly hope to understand her allure as much as they might try. This implies a certain mysterious element to what makes her so seemingly attractive when the speaker herself has claimed that she does not conform to the ordinary idea of beauty in our Westernized context.

Portrait photograph of Maya Angelou (c. 1957); See page for author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The next few lines are meant to elucidate this once again. She states that she tries to explain to them and to show it off, but they still do not understand, and here we are shown another of these lists of behaviors that have come to be blended with physical attributes. For instance, it states that there is a light that shines through her smile or a certain level of grace in the way she simply presents herself.

All of these elements are an attempt to explain the way in which she conducts herself, but it also serves as a means of showing just how she looks. As was stated far earlier, she tells us that she does not look particularly attractive in the more traditional sense, but here we are told, over and over again, that what is “traditional” and “Western” is not actually what makes one feminine. It is something harder to catch and identify.

The last four lines here are repetitive. They tell us, once more, that she is a phenomenal woman.

It’s almost as if the poem is called Phenomenal Woman or something! This repetition continuously reaffirms the femininity inherent in these words. The poem is trying to explain to us, especially those who believe in a certain view of beauty as the objectively correct form of beauty, that we are wrong to believe that her beauty is not valid while others are.

Stanza Five

Now you understand

Just why my head’s not bowed.  

I don’t shout or jump about

Or have to talk real loud.  

When you see me passing,

It ought to make you proud.

I say,

It’s in the click of my heels,  

The bend of my hair,  

the palm of my hand,  

The need for my care.  

’Cause I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That’s me.

We get to the last stanza in my brief analysis of Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou, and we can start off with the speaker telling us in a very direct sense that we should now understand. The next few lines speak of empowerment. She may not be what Western-minded people think is feminine or beautiful, but she refuses to bow her head, and she does not need to act a certain way or speak in certain tones, because she will make heads turn. However, she states that those who do turn their heads for her should be proud of her. We should see her confidence and femininity and be proud of how she has refused to allow certain people to hold her back.

Press photo of Maya Angelou for Calypso Heat Wave (1957); Columbia Pictures Corp., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

There is yet another instance in which the speaker lists several behaviors and physical features. These are the things that she feels are those that give her the feminine beauty she possesses. It’s her hair, the way she acts, and the way she walks. There are many possible things that can influence the way that she is perceived, but she ends off her statements in the last four lines by reaffirming that she is a woman and a phenomenal one at that.

The Themes of Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou

While the analysis of Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou is complete, it can be useful to have an overview of some of the themes that were explored in the text. Some of the major themes at play here are similar to those that can be found in another Maya Angelou poem, Still I Rise. The themes of self-confidence and female empowerment are on full display here.

In this sense, the particular sense of empowerment can be levied directly at femininity itself.

Femininity is one of those things that many believe to be some kind of objective metric but can actually vary to incredible degrees based on the society in which it can be found, the time period, individual differences, and so on. What it means to be feminine is not quite as clear cut as some may wish for it to be, and Maya Angelou ensures that that is on full display in this poem.

Press photo of Maya Angelou for Calypso Heat Wave (1957); Columbia Pictures Corp., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The speaker repeatedly confronts people with what they believe to be feminine beauty with ideas that often undermine Westernized understandings of beauty. Her beauty is individual and strong, and she wants the hostile addressee of the text to understand what it means to be feminine from her point of view. This makes the poem one of the most powerful out there thanks to the messages that it presents to the reader.

This last section looked at some of the themes on display in Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou, but I have also provided a more in-depth analysis of the poem as well as a few other bits and pieces. So, hopefully, that means that you have a better overall understanding of the poem and what it has to say. However, this is far from the only empowering poem by Maya Angelou, and if you want a whole lot more, there are many other poems that she wrote over her lengthy career – you only need to head out and find them!

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou?

It is a poem that is used as a means of discussing femininity. The ideas of femininity that are expressed in this poem are meant to empower, and this makes Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou one of several poems that explores this theme in the work of this fantastic poet. The poem, like the title, is phenomenal.

Who Wrote Phenomenal Woman?

This poem was written by Maya Angelou. This figure was an American writer and activist who is well known for many of her powerful poems, as well as her revealing and raw autobiographies. Many of the works that she produced were aimed toward an understanding of the place of African American people in the United States, and as she was a major figure in the Civil Rights Movement, this is very understandable.

What Are the Themes of Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou?

The principal theme that is explored in Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou is femininity. The more Westernized understanding of what it means to be feminine is presented in one way, and the poem challenges those kinds of assumptions. What it means to be a woman is put on central display in this text.

What Kind of Poem Is Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou?

This poem is a free verse poem. This means that it does not use any kind of strict meter, rhyme, or general form. Instead, it is able to be free-form and flow in a more natural way than what is generally found in many instances of poetry. There are many Maya Angelou poems out there that are similarly free verse.

What Are the Other Famous Poems by Maya Angelou?

Maya Angelou wrote many fantastic poems throughout her career, and some of the most famous of them all include Still I Rise (1978), Caged Bird (1983), and On the Pulse of Morning (1993). This is hardly a broad overview of all that she wrote though, and there are many other poems by this illustrious poet that are worth examining.

The post “Phenomenal Woman” by Maya Angelou – A Poetic Analysis% first appeared on Art in Context.

Gone From My Sight by Henry Van Dyke Analysis

The poem that has often come to be seen as Gone From My Sight by Henry Van Dyke is also sometimes known as “Parable of Immortality” and also “What is Dying”, and so there is a lot of confusion about a lot of the aspects of this poem. One of the most important concerns is authorship, but I’ll get to that in time. First, let’s look at something a bit shorter.

Henry Van Dyke and Family (1903); Curtis Publishing Company, photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Gone From My Sight by Henry Van Dyke Summary Points

The poem that has come to be known as Gone From My Sight by Henry Van Dyke is one that is definitely worth a longer examination. However, a quick summary never hurt anyone! So, let’s do that before we get into a deeper examination of this poem.

• Gone From My Sight by Henry Van Dyke is about death. This text has come to be seen as an important work that is often read aloud at funerals. It explores death and an understanding of the afterlife.
• Gone From My Sight by Henry Van Dyke may have been written by Luther F. Beecher. We do not necessarily know the authorship for this text for certain. However, we have come to believe that Henry Van Dyke definitely did not write it.
• Gone From My Sight by Henry Van Dyke is a prose poem. This means that the poem does not entirely conform to the norms of poetry at all, and instead makes use of many prose features, like one might find in a short story.

This overview of what is to come should be useful to those who need something along these lines. However, there is still much that we can do when it comes to actually analyzing and understanding this poem.

So, if you would like that, get on over to the very next section!

The Author of the Poem: Henry Van Dyke or Rev. Luther F. Beecher

While we often refer to this poem as having been written by Henry Van Dyke, that was likely simply because his name was shown far more prominently on a booklet that featured the poem. So, people naturally started to assume that he was the writer of this poem. However, there are other printings of this poem that list Rev. Luther F. Beecher as the author behind it, and so he has become more commonly acknowledged as the more likely author of the poem in question.

Henry van Dyke (1899) by Rockwood; Rockwood, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

An In-Depth Gone From My Sight by Henry Van Dyke Analysis

This particular poem needs to be understood within a specific and often quite hazy genre, and that is prose poetry. It does not read like a lot of standard poems, and the lines can often run on as if they were lines in a piece of prose. This also means that the meter is highly variable and there is no real rhyme scheme at play here. It can almost be seen like a work of free verse poetry, but it is not. Instead, it is very much laid out as if it could be read like prose. However, you will only really see this for yourself once we get into the nitty-gritty of the analysis itself. So, that is what we should get into. Just keep in mind that this particular poem is also a popular poem about death, and so it will share several things in common with other elegies that you might find in the world.

Furthermore, expect some strange things when it comes to how the stanzas have been arranged.

Stanza One

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side,

spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts

for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength.

I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck

of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

The first part of the very first line gives us a setting. We are at the seashore with this speaker. They are gazing out at it, and the ocean has long been seen as a natural force of supreme power as well as being associated with various spiritual aspects. As we know this poem is related to death, we may even start to see this ocean as something that comes to be representative of death itself.

The first line continues, and connects to the second line, by mentioning a ship that the speaker sees. This ship has large white sails and it is gently moving along the breeze. We are also told, in the first few words of the third line, that this ship is within this ocean. The water is described as blue, and this is the most natural color that we come to associate with the ocean. Ships have also often been associated with death, and we can see the imagery of ships and boats in places like ancient Greek mythology too, where Charon takes the souls of the dead to Hades.

Fishing Boats on the Beach at Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer (1888) by Vincent van Gogh; Vincent van Gogh, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The second half of the third line describes the boat, and it is described as a beautiful and powerful thing. The ship is also described using the feminine pronoun “she”, but this is a common way in which ships are described. We can already tell that this ship will be a central focus in this poem as it has departed from the shore which can be seen as the land of the living while the endless ocean becomes death.

The last two lines of this stanza tell us of the ship’s journey from the perspective of the speaker as he stands at the shore. He only watches it go until it is completely gone from his line of sight. It is easy to see how this can be seen as related to death because we can see death coming much of the time, but then it has come, and those who have died will be gone from the world forever.

The journey of the ship into the distance is also described as merging with the ocean and the sky, and the association between the sky and death is one that practically everyone understands. The sky is where heaven can be found in more spiritual beliefs. The ship is now gone.

Stanza Two

Then, someone at my side says, “There, she is gone”

This stanza, as well as the next, are each made up of only a single line. In this case, the line is presented as someone approaching the speaker and talking to them. This person only tells them that the ship is gone. It has vanished off into the distance and it will never return to these shores again.

Estuary At Dawn (c. 1640-1645) by Simon de Vlieger; Simon de Vlieger, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Stanza Three

Gone where?

This second very short stanza is simply a question from the speaker about where this ship has gone. He does not know where the ship has actually gone and, if we do take the ship as a metaphor for death, we can see the place it has gone as the afterlife. And even if we have faith in some specific ideology, we cannot know for certain what happens after we have died. So, the speaker is right to ponder this question.

Where indeed has this ship gone?

Stanza Four

Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast,

hull and spar as she was when she left my side.

And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.

The first line of the fourth stanza tells us that, from the perspective of the speaker, the ship has simply left his line of sight. Death has come and those who have died have moved on to whatever is next. We cannot know what is next. We can only know that those who have died are no longer here and with us. However, the remainder of this line as well as the entirety of the next, states that the ship is still somewhere, but not where it can be perceived by the speaker.

Snow Storm: Steam-Boat off a Harbour’s Mouth (c. 1842) by J. M. W. Turner; J. M. W. Turner, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The next line, which is also the last in this stanza, tells us that the ship will continue to move beyond our sight until it reaches the place where it will finally reach. This has an immediate spiritual understanding to it as a more atheistic understanding would likely see there as being no place for the ship to go at all.

Stanza Five

Her diminished size is in me — not in her.

And, just at the moment when someone says, “There, she is gone,”

there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices

ready to take up the glad shout, “Here she comes!”

The second to last stanza, which is also the last of the stanzas that maintains something resembling a standard length, takes the ship into the mind of the speaker. To the ship, the size of said ship has always remained the same. They do not even notice, just as we do not often notice when we have died, but the speaker has noticed. The way in which the ship decreases in size is only from the perspective of those on the shore. The next few lines bring up that statement from the person beside the speaker. The idea that the ship is “gone” is only something that can be seen from our point of view. And the poem turns it around to show that wherever that ship is going, when it arrives there, those who meet that ship will not be saying that the ship is gone but rather that it has arrived.

The difference in perspective means everything.

Stanza Six

And that is dying…

The very last line of this poem, which stands on its own and is not part of any of the other stanzas, is the thing that finally tells us, for certain, that this has all been a metaphor for dying. We are told point blank that this is what the poem is about so that there can be no confusion as to what the text is trying to say.

The Entombment of Atala (1808) by Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson;  Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The Themes of Gone From My Sight by Henry Van Dyke

The poem known as Gone From My Sight by Henry Van Dyke is one that predominantly focuses on death. This is why it has become a poem often recited at funerary services. However, the way in which it examines death is by focusing on a more positive understanding of it. The poem wants us to accept that death will come for us as it is something natural. There is a sense of peace to the whole affair and the poem, as it was likely written by a reverend, has strong spiritual overtones. These themes have led to the poem being seen as a phenomenal examination of death from a more positive perspective.

Henry Van Dyke (c. 1905-1945) by Harris & Ewing; Harris & Ewing, photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

It is unfortunate when the name of someone who was never the author of a text comes to be associated with that text. While it has often been seen as a poem by Henry Van Dyke, the more likely alternative is that Gone From My Sight was written by Rev. Luther F. Beecher, and he deserves the acclaim for what this poem explores. However, there are not really other texts written by him out in the world, but at least this one is around for us to enjoy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Gone From My Sight by Henry Van Dyke?

This is a poem that was likely not written by Henry Van Dyke at all but has come to be associated with him. The poem also has other names, such as the Parable of Immortality. The poem is an exploration of death and is commonly read at funerals.

Who Was Henry Van Dyke?

Henry Van Dyke was a writer, clergyman, and diplomat who worked at Princeton as an English professor for many years. However, while he did influence many students, he has often come to be associated with the poem known as Gone From My Sight because of a misunderstanding based on the name of a widely distributed book that included the poem. This poem was most probably written by Rev. Luther F. Beecher instead.

What Are the Themes of Gone From My Sight by Henry Van Dyke?

The primary themes that are explored in this poem have to do with the acceptance of death. The poem posits that death is a natural force and one that should be encountered in more peaceful terms. This has led the poem to become a popular one because of its more positive perspective on death.

The post “Gone From My Sight” by Henry Van Dyke – A Detailed Analysis% first appeared on Art in Context.

A Few ee cummings Poems

There are very few poets who achieved the kind of fame that ee cummings attained. His work is seen as some of the most influential in the Modernist movement and free verse poetry has been irreversibly influenced by the work that he produced during his lifetime. We are only going to look at ten of his poems, but this should offer a good general understanding of why he was considered to be such an important figure in poetry. His constant use of experimentation and his refusal to conform to norms have made him famous, and the fact that he spelled his name in lowercase has probably contributed to that. So, let’s check out a few ee cummings poems!

Juvenile Drawing (1901) by E. E. Cummings; Massachusetts Historical Society, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

spring omnipotent goddess Thou (1920) 

spring omnipotent goddess Thou is a poem that presents spring as a personified goddess that enters the cityscape and brings with it a change for those who encounter it. The poem is a great example of the kinds of poems that ee cummings wrote as it uses a bouncing rhythm throughout while using unusual terminology and it occasionally even invents some along the way, or perhaps more accurately, it supplements existing words with new forms that make it strange and different.

This may be one of the older ee cummings poems, but it still manages to retain a lot of what brought this poet such acclaim throughout his career.

Primavera (c. 1482) by Sandro Botticelli; Sandro Botticelli, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Puella Mea (1920) 

Puella Mea is one of the earlier ee cummings poems on this list and in his career, and it is quite unlike many of the other poems that would become more associated with this unusual and experimental poet. It is a lengthy poem that explores a deep love and desire for a figure who the speaker loves more than anyone else. The poem discusses intimate longing and a strong need for romantic love.

While the concept of love is not one that ee cummings was less likely to write, but the length of this particular poem would be a little different from many of the other, far shorter texts that he was more accustomed to producing.

The Kiss (1859) by Francesco Hayez; Francesco Hayez, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

may i feel said he (1923) 

may i feel said he is a perfect encapsulation of the way that many ee cummings poems manage to capture the delightful nature of language itself. This poem is highly repetitive with “he” and “she” being used over and over again to show a relationship and conversation between these two figures. The two converse with one another in playful tones and are engaging in a sexual affair with one another.

The poem explores their discussions of desire and consent with one another, and the way in which this conversation is produced, despite making minimal use of vocabulary, is expertly conveyed to the reader.

At the Père Lathuille Restaurant (1879) by Édouard Manet; Édouard Manet, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

[All in green went my love riding] (1923) 

[All in green went my love riding] is a rather peculiar poem about relationships. It uses the imagery of a hunt, and this metaphor is used throughout as they hunt through the lush forest. The speaker is hunting the deer that is his partner, and even though he knows that through his hunt, he has ultimately pierced the heart of the one he has pursued, he has also pierced his own heart.

A relationship is not always a pleasant thing, and terrible things can be done to one another, and it may seem permissible during the act, but one will eventually realize that none of this was a positive thing to have done.

Colonel Acland and Lord Sydney: The Archers (1769) by Joshua Reynolds; Joshua Reynolds, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

[since feeling is first] (1926) 

[since feeling is first] is concerned with a carefree attitude taken towards love and the activities that we do with one another when we are in love. The poem wants us to live for that love in the moment rather than confining ourselves to a sense of overwhelming self-analysis. We should embrace what love has to offer to us rather than thinking about it in too much depth. There are many poems that fixate on the future with regard to love, and how a beloved can become a part of us, but this poem instead wants us to live each day like it will be the last.

Seize the day!

The Embrace (Lovers II) (1917) by Egon Schiele; Egon Schiele, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

i sing of Olaf glad and big (1931) 

i sing of Olaf glad and big is all about the central character of Olaf. This text is rather unique in terms of the ee cummings poems that we have examined thus far in that it is a lengthier narrative text rather than one that simply conveys a sense of feeling. This character of Olaf is a soldier who remains defiant and courageous throughout his time being tortured.

The text is an exploration of the courage required to stick by one’s beliefs regardless of whatever stands in the way and seeks to repress you.

The Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew (c. 1630-1670) by Andrea Vaccaro; Andrea Vaccaro, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons 

[anyone lived in a pretty how town] (1940) 

[anyone lived in a pretty how town] is about a little town. It’s a town in which nothing much happens and everyone keeps to themselves. However, there is a person named “anyone” in this poem, and he does not much fit in with this place until he finds a partner named “no one”, and they fall in love with one another. The poem has a rather allegorical note to it as these two characters and even the town itself do not have proper names.

This allows the poem to be about anyone and it can be far more easily universalized thanks to that fact.

Beaulieu and the Beaulieu River (2017); Beaulieu and the Beaulieu River by David Lewis, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

pity this busy monster, manunkind (1944) 

pity this busy monster, manunkind is one of the best-known ee cummings poems, and it is a truly phenomenal text that focuses on the destructive forces of progress that mankind unleashes upon the world. The text makes use of an unusual arrangement of invented terms, strange dashes, and strange topography to tell the story of humanity progressing too quickly and causing issues through that level of progress.

One of the most poignant aspects of the poem comes near the end when the speaker suddenly cuts himself off to effectively give up on what humanity has done with its intelligence.

Pont Boieldieu in Rouen, Rainy Weather (1896) by Camille Pissarro; Camille Pissarro, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

[i carry your heart with me(i carry it in] (1952) 

[i carry your heart with me(i carry it in] is a poem about love. It has a deeply intimate tone to it as it follows the speaker expressing the way that they feel about their beloved. They speak about their lover having control of their heart in the typical sense that many make use of heart metaphors when it comes to love. However, the use of brackets and uncommon construction makes this ee cummings poem a potent one.

Statements and words intermingle with one another as the speaker tries to convey their immense love and adoration for their lover.

Amor and Psyche, children (1890) by William-Adolphe Bouguereau; William-Adolphe Bouguereau, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

l(a (1958) 

l(a is considered to be one of the greatest ee cummings poems for good reason. It is immensely unique and distinct even amongst the other poems that this writer produced. The reason that this is the case is that it is written as a single vertical line. Most of these lines have two letters in them. There is an “l” that begins the poem with the words “a leaf falls” within brackets followed by the remainder of the word that started with that “l”, becoming “loneliness”. It is a poem that requires the reader to take it from its broken status and reassemble it to truly understand. There is a message here about being alone as a solitary leaf falls from a tree. The image of a single leaf has long been associated with solitude, and that is used to strong effect here.

e.e. cummings (1953) by Walter Albertin; Walter Albertin, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

We have spent this article examining the work of ee cummings. There are literally thousands of ee cummings poems in the world and I have only given you a meager selection of ten! It is obviously immensely outrageous of me to do such a thing, but it should have also given you a good overview of the kind of work for which he was so well known. There are loads of other ee cummings poems out there though, and if you want to find them, you just need to search for them!

Frequently Asked Questions

Who Was ee cummings?

The man known as ee cummings, whose actual name was Edward Estlin Cummings, was an American writer who is best known for his poetry. He is generally seen as one of the most important Modernist poets, and his work would come to be immensely influential throughout his life and long after his death.

What Was Unique About the Poetry of ee cummings?

Some of the most unique aspects of ee cummings’ poems was that they essentially broke many of the rules we would often associate with poetry. For instance, he would make use of strange typography, make up new words, refuse to stick to standard line lengths, and would have highly visual poetry. This immensely experimental nature has led to his poetry being very influential in free verse poetry into the present day.

Why Did ee cummings Write His Name That Way?

While you can spell the name of ee cummings with upper-case letters, that is not how we have traditionally done things. His work was noted for its incredibly experimental style and so writing it in this way has been something of a means of reverence for the refusal to follow the norms that he expressed in his writing. Many publications of his will spell it with the upper-case letters, but writing it in lowercase is far more interesting, isn’t it?

What Literary Movement Was ee cummings a Part Of?

The many ee cummings poems out there form part of Modernism. This was the movement of which he was a major part. His work in Modernist poetry would inspire many others to follow in a similar path with their own poetry, but his highly experimental style can often be seen as an ancestor of the many others who have followed suit in the years since.

What Are the Most Famous Poems by ee cummings?

There are far too many ee cummings poems in the world, but some of his best known are those such as may i feel said he (1923), pity this busy monster, manunkind (1944), and l(a (1958). This is a rather paltry list though, even more so than the article as a whole. However, if you want to find some more, they are all over the place and can easily be found.

The post ee cummings Poems – A Comprehensive List of 10 Famous Works% first appeared on Art in Context.

Funeral Blues by Wystan Hugh Auden Analysis

There are many famous poems in the world, but Funeral Blues by Wystan Hugh Auden is one that is still read aloud and recited to this day all over the world. The reason for this is because the poem is a fantastic elegy that explores feelings of loss and mourning which has led to it being seen as a perfect funeral poem by so many. The poem explores these ideas through devastatingly provocative language that is worthy of analysis, and so that is what will be done! However, let’s check out a summary of what we’ll soon be discussing first.

W. H. Auden and Christopher Isherwood en route to China (1938); National Media Museum from UK, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons

Funeral Blues by Wystan Hugh Auden Summary Points

I remember only a few years ago when I was still teaching the young. What stressful creatures they are. Anyway, they particularly like summaries because of how they condense information down into a nice and biteable chunk. If you too wish for something like this before we even get into things, here it is:

• Funeral Blues by Wystan Hugh Auden is a poem about death. Basically, this poem is an elegy, and this refers to a type of poem that explores the concept of death. There is a long and storied history of poems about death, and this one has become a particularly famous instance of the form.
• Funeral Blues by Wystan Hugh Auden is commonly misnamed. While the actual name of the poem is Funeral Blues, it has often come to be called “Stop all the Clocks”, and that’s because it is the first line and, by far, the most memorable one too.
• Funeral Blues by Wystan Hugh Auden is a popular funeral poem. This poem has come to be read at many funerals over the few decades of its existence because of its focus on the utter sense of mourning that many can feel upon being exposed to the death of a loved one.

Summaries, as I often told my old students, are not something that can be relied upon that much because it is far too condensed. However, it can serve as a great primer or reminder.

So, if it’s the former, we should probably continue with our broader look at Funeral Blues by Wystan Hugh Auden.

Biography of Wystan Hugh Auden

Wystan Hugh Auden was a prominent British-American poet, but many do not know him by this name. Instead, he is more commonly known as W.H. Auden. While his work is often noted for being technical and exploring topics that were sometimes deemed more taboo, such as politics and religion, he was also rather controversial during his lifetime. While he was alive, Auden was often criticized for his work just as much as he was praised, but after he passed away, his work started to be taken on board in a far more positive light. His poetry has since come to be seen as some of the most significant of the 20^th century and an important contribution to the literary world.

W.H. Auden signs in at Stockholm’s Grand Hotel (1964) by John Kjellström; John Kjellström, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

An In-Depth Analysis of Funeral Blues by Wystan Hugh Auden

It is now time for me to show you a bit of an analysis of Funeral Blues by Wystan Hugh Auden, and while this analysis should go over the poem in some detail, there is always the chance of additional interpretations and understandings. So, you should also read it for yourself and see what all you can extract from this poem. There is always the chance to learn a few new things when you decide to try it out for yourself.

However, before we go more line-by-line with this analysis, we should first have a look at the general structure of the poem. Funeral Blues by Wystan Hugh Auden does not follow a specific poetic form, like a sonnet, and it is instead made up of four quatrains. These four-line stanzas each have the same rhyme scheme, and that is arranged as AABB.

This rhyme scheme allows there to be constant and consistent, and also rather simple, rhyme throughout the text.

Each stanza contains two pairs of these rhymes, but what about the meter? Well, in terms of metrical structures, Funeral Blues by Wystan Hugh Auden does not much follow one. The lines are often variable in their length, but they do tend to sit at between nine and eleven syllables per line. However, this means that, like the structure, it does not conform to a particular type of poetry.

Now that these general structural aspects of the poem have been briefly mentioned, we can proceed with the remainder of the analysis. However, before I get into it, you can remember that this poem is not a particularly complex one. The language is straightforward and clear, and there is likely little need for comprehensive analysis. Regardless of that, let’s get into it and see what we can see. Hopefully, you’ll leave this analysis with more understanding of Funeral Blues by Wystan Hugh Auden.

Stanza One

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,

Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,

Silence the pianos and with muffled drum

Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

The first line is definitely the most famous line. However, it may be even better to say that the first half of the first line is the most famous part of the poem. However, it sets the stage well when it tells us that we must stop all the clocks. This implies the cessation of time itself. There is no need to go on because of what has occurred. The second half of this line reinforces this kind of desire for the stopping of certain things. However, that second half mentions stopping all telephones, and that implies the end of communication. What is there to talk about?

The second line is another aspect of stopping something. This time it is the stopping of dogs from barking and getting tasty food. The natural world itself is also something that the speaker takes umbrage with. So, we can already see in these first two lines that time, communication, and animals should all come to a halt because of the death that we can see coming at the end of this stanza. The last pair utilize enjambment and so they contain one thought. This thought is that music, as well as what has already been mentioned, should be silenced, and there should only be a soft beat as the mourners come with the coffin. There has been a death, and we now have the confirmation that this has been the cause of all of these desires until now. The death has seen the world itself, to the speaker, come to a halt, and the speaker wants all others to feel this loss too.

It is a terrible day for the speaker, and nothing can console them.

Stanza Two

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.

Much like the last two lines of the previous stanza, the first two of this one use enjambment to offer a single message, and that message is to say that the planes in the sky themselves should still be permitted to exist, but they should only exist so that they might inform others. The speaker wants these planes to write that “He is Dead” in the sky, and this, while very unlike the previous stanza’s dedication to stopping everything, does show the same preoccupation with wanting all others to experience what the speaker is experiencing.

The next line provides more information on what the speaker deems to be allowable. The previous stanza was what could not be, but here we are told that doves in the sky should be given formal attire in reverence for the funeral. There is also an interesting point in that the previous image was that of planes and now we are looking at doves. Both of these groups fly, and this is just a connection that could be noted as many believe that after death, we go up into the sky. The last of these lines also mentioned formal clothes, in the form of gloves made of black cotton, and, of course, the blackness of these clothes is because it is a funeral. However, rather than planes or birds, it tells us that traffic police should wear these.

We tend to have a difference of opinion with regard to regular police and traffic police, and the usage of traffic police in this image may indicate a desire for less respected groups to be in on the mourning too.

Stanza Three

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 first three lines of this stanza all reiterate the same basic idea. The first states that this person who died was every direction, the second states that he was every day of the week, and the third states that he was the speaker’s every time of day, conversation, and music.

Christopher Isherwood and W.H. Auden (1939) by Carl Van Vechten; Carl Van Vechten, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

This stanza simply serves to solidify how important this person was to the speaker. They were seemingly everything to this person who is now in mourning, and that is a disheartening thing. The next line, which is also the last of this stanza, states that the speaker simply never considered death to be something viable. It’s not a thing that happens to us, after all. Death happens to other people! This is obviously untrue, and the final part of this line does state that, but it is something that we, as humans, are liable to believe.

We think of ourselves as unique and beyond the rules, but we’re wrong about that.

Stanza Four

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.

We finally get to the end, and here we have a similar sentiment to the very first stanza. In that stanza, the speaker discusses how everything should go away and disappear, and the first three lines do the same here. They tell us that all of the stars should be extinguished, the moon and sun should be gotten rid of, and the ocean and forests should be destroyed. This stanza goes into cosmic forces, including those in the heavens. The overwhelming sadness and isolation that is felt by the speaker in thinking that no one else mourns as they do cause them to want everything else in the world to disappear.

And now for the very end, that last line. This line reinforces that final sense of irreconcilable depression that pairs with the passing of a loved one. The speaker informs us that nothing good that can ever exist again. They have resigned themselves to a futile depression. Nothing is worthwhile any longer. While we know that time does heal us, we also know that in this moment of loss, we will often feel the worst kinds of feelings imaginable. It is very natural. And that is just one of the reasons why Funeral Blues by Wystan Hugh Auden has remained such a major part of funeral culture.

The Themes of Funeral Blues by Wystan Hugh Auden

When it comes to the general themes of Funeral Blues by Wystan Hugh Auden, it should be noted that the early parts of the poem, which beg for a cessation of all time, are very indicative of the kinds of feelings that are experienced by those who have suffered a loss. The themes of loss and mourning are the most prominent ones that can be found in this poem, but as it is an elegy, that is also to be expected. The poem’s examination of the immense love that is felt for the one who has passed from the world has also come to be seen as one of the most important themes explored in the poem. This person who passed away was someone who was beloved by those around them and, in particular, to the speaker.

These are some of the reasons that the poem has gone on to have such a large cultural impact over the last few decades.

The Cultural Impact of Funeral Blues by Wystan Hugh Auden

When it comes to famous poems, there are not that many in the mainstream consciousness out of the 20^th century. Sure, if you enjoy poetry, you will know a lot more, but this particular poem, and even more particularly, the first line of said poem, is something that has been used in so many examples of popular culture that it has even entered the point of parody. For instance, I remember this poem’s first line being used as a joke to see the comedic seriousness of a character in the British television series, IT Crowd.

American writer W. H. Auden (1956) by George Cserna; George Cserna, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The way in which the poem as a whole also explores a deep sense of sorrow has come to be understood and embraced by many who have experienced similar loss. This is why the largest non-pop cultural influence of Funeral Blues by Wystan Hugh Auden has come in the form of it being a common choice for many who want an elegy to read at a funeral. It has been read by many over the decades, and this is the kind of cultural impact that few poems attain.

Over the course of this article, I can only hope that I have aided in elucidating the reasons why Funeral Blues by Wystan Hugh Auden has become such an immensely popular poem. I have looked at the author, the cultural impact, some of the themes, and an in-depth analysis of the poem itself. This should give a good overview of the poem, but you should also read it more closely for yourself to see if there are any meanings to be found within it that particularly resonate with you. The only way to know is if you give it a try!

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Funeral Blues by Wystan Hugh Auden?

This is a poem by W.H. Auden and likely one of the most famous poems that he ever wrote. The poem is an elegy, and that means that it is a poem about death. However, the title of the poem may have given that away. This poignant examination of death has come to be read and recited at many funerals around the world to this day, and this has kept the poem as one of Auden’s most prominent.

Who Was Wystan Hugh Auden?

Most people will know this poet as W.H. Auden, and he was a prominent 20^th-century poet who would come to be known for his technical ability. He would also explore concepts and ideas that many at the time did not want to explore, such as politics. After his death, his work became far more accepted and beloved, but during his life, a lot of his work would fluctuate between being praised and heavily critiqued.

What Are the Themes of Funeral Blues by Wystan Hugh Auden?

In general, as a poem about death, Funeral Blues by Wystan Hugh Auden explores the kinds of themes that one may expect. It discusses the grief and sadness that comes with the death of a loved one, as well as the love that is felt for the one who has passed. In addition, it shows the desires of those who are left behind to want everyone to feel the same feelings that the mourner is experiencing.

What Was the Cultural Influence of Funeral Blues by Wystan Hugh Auden?

There are poems that have cultural impacts and then there are those that have come to be recited at funerals around the world. This poem is not simply one that has been taken on board by those who love poetry but also simply by those who wish for something poignant to say at a funeral. This is what has led to Funeral Blues by Wystan Hugh Auden having such an immense cultural influence.

What Are the Other Poems of W.H. Auden?

While W.H. Auden wrote many poems in his life, some of the most notable of all his poetry include September 1, 1939 (1939), For the Time Being (1944), and The Shield of Achilles (1952). This has been a very brief selection of his poems though, and if you want to know more about his work, you will have to get out there and find some more for yourself!

The post “Funeral Blues” by Wystan Hugh Auden Analysis – A Closer Look% first appeared on Art in Context.

A Few Sylvia Plath Poems

Sylvia Plath has come to be seen as one of the most important poets of the mid-20^th-century period. The impact of her poetry has also come to be bound up in the personality behind that poetry, and she herself came to be seen as just as famous as her work. The reason for this is because her work is deeply personal and often reflected her own lived experience. She was a woman who struggled with mental illness and would eventually take her life in a particularly harsh and unusual manner, as she sealed her own kitchen and placed her head in an oven to suffocate from the gas fumes.

Cover of Sylvia Plath Collected Poems (1981) by Sylvia Plath; Simon James, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Flickr

Her life, and her death, have led to much of the posthumous success and widespread adoration for her poetry. Her work is squarely within the confessional poetry tradition and has remained some of the most influential to date. This form of poetry is exactly what it sounds like as it explores the life of the poet through highly personal confessional-style discussions. This is also what many of the poems that I discuss below will be about. So, if you wish to see how the personal and artistic can interact with one another, look no further, and get started on the first of these Sylvia Plath poems.

Mad Girl’s Love Song (1953) 

Mad Girl’s Love Song is one of the earliest Sylvia Plath poems, and it was published while she was in her early twenties. However, despite being such an early poem from her career, it would still explore the kinds of themes for which she would become so well known. The poem also makes use of a fairly consistent rhyme scheme, which would come to be more unusual for her, and she instead transitioned more into completely free verse work. Regardless of this, the poem’s subject matter echoes later work.

The central theme explored in this poem is that of love and mental illness in general.

She explores the feelings of love that she does experience but is not certain how to go about accepting that love. She does not know if the love that she experiences is even love at all, and instead comes to view it with a degree of skepticism. Is it real love at all or is it rather something that she has imagined? As the speaker has suffered from mental health issues, these kinds of questions come to be particularly pertinent and resonant to those who have experienced similar thoughts and feelings.

The Moon and the Yew Tree (1963) 

The Moon and the Yew Tree is a poem that mixes feelings and explorations of how parents can have an effect on us alongside religious discussion. The poem makes use of two primary metaphors for her parents with her mother being represented by the moon, which is often taken as a feminine force, and her father as a yew tree. Throughout the poem, there are also examinations of a religious upbringing with a particular focus on Catholicism, which was a faith that had an impact on Sylvia Plath as she grew up because of her mother’s conversion from the religion to Unitarianism.

However, the images of Catholic belief are strewn throughout the poem.

In this instance of Sylvia Plath’s confessional poetry, she uses these metaphors of her parents to explore how neither of them was particularly beneficial to her as she grew up in the world, and that she did not gain much from their presence over her. Her father is viewed as someone distant and her mother as someone who did not provide her with love as she grew, and this is likely why this poem, and many other Sylvia Plath poems, have come to be so beloved by so many because loads of people can see their own experiences reflected within those that Plath expressed.

Sylvia Plath and Husband Ted Hughes (nd); Freddie Phillips, CC BY 4.0, via Flickr

Daddy (1965) 

Daddy is one of the most famous Sylvia Plath poems, and there is a very good reason for this. Many instances of her poetry took close and careful aim at very personal and painful topics for her, this one takes a familial perspective. As the name suggests, this particular poem is concerned with her father. Based on the other poetry that Sylvia Plath wrote, we can assume that she would have had a difficult relationship with her father, and that is very evident in this particular piece of work.

In the poem, there are a variety of metaphors that are used to describe her father, particularly the image of Nazis.

While the metaphor of Nazism is not the only metaphor that Sylvia Plath makes use of in this poem, it is the most striking of them all as well as being the most prominent. There are also comparisons between the speaker and a Jewish victim in the Holocaust. There is even direct mention of concentration camps like Dachau and Auschwitz. This kind of imagery is also problematic as comparisons between the literal Nazi death camps and a difficult childhood may seem extreme, but that is also the nature of the kind of confessional poetry for which Sylvia Plath was so well known.

Lady Lazarus (1965) 

Lady Lazarus is a poem that makes direct use of religious imagery while exploring themes related to death and rebirth. Immediately, it is worth mentioning that the figure of Lazarus was one that, in the New Testament of the Christian Bible, Jesus Christ brought back to life. This is considered to be one of the most notable of the Christian figure’s miracles.

As a result, the use of this image to explore death and rebirth makes a lot of sense for someone to use when they wish to explore these kinds of themes.

However, the use of the “lady” part of the poem’s title gives it an immediate feminine air that is quite distinct from our general understanding of Lazarus and how he has been depicted in literature to date. The poem explores Sylvia Plath’s attempts at suicide and the way that she rises from the ashes repeatedly. Although, as we know her ultimate fate, she would not forever experience any sense of rebirth and would instead perish from this world.

Tulips (1965) 

Tulips is the sort of poem that springs from a single image. In this case, it comes from the perspective of Sylvia Plath while she recovered in the hospital from an appendectomy and had a bouquet of tulips beside her. In this poem, the hospital is viewed in a rather positive light. It is a place that is sterile, but still one that is calm and peaceful.

The realities of the world outside the hospital come to be seen as something that is harsh and difficult to handle.

This is a perspective on the real world and the lives that we are forced to live that will likely resonate with many who have similar feelings. And gazing at the flowers that we have received while in recovery can cause us to see them as indicative of the peacefulness associated with recovery, and the realities of the world that wait right beyond those days of recovery.

Page 23 of Sylvia Plath (nd); Julie Jordan Scott, CC BY 4.0, via Flickr

Ariel (1965) 

Ariel is about a horseback ride. The poem explores the feelings that the speaker experienced as she climbed atop a horse in the morning and felt the natural power of this creature beneath her. While she rides this horse, she can feel her own sense of limitation breaking away as the horse breaks into a gallop.

The feeling of this kind of power around yourself is enough to cause many to feel a certain connection with the non-human animal that you are sharing this experience with, and that appears to be the case for the speaker.

These kinds of connections between humans and animals are often explored in poetry, but the free verse style of this particular poem, with its highly abstract imagery, makes it a lot more unique than many of the other poems out there in the world that explore similar ideas. This poem bears the same name as a posthumous collection of Sylvia Plath poems, and for that reason, it has also gone on to become one of the most famous examples of her poetry.

The Journals of Sylvia Plath (1982) by Sylvia Plath; Dr Umm, CC BY 4.0, via Flickr

The Munich Mannequins (1965) 

The Munich Mannequins is a poem that explores feelings of feminized perfection and beauty. The name itself calls to mind the kind of mannequins that one might find in a clothing store or fashion show. They hold a certain level of feminine perfection within their forms, and they are slick, sleek, and slim. They are the Westernized ideal of a woman’s beauty, and while these kinds of beauty standards certainly can and have changed in more recent years.

This kind of image is one that can be immediately understood coming from a woman who lived during the 1950s and 1960s.

The poem focuses on the artificiality of this beauty, and how it is an inhumane kind of beauty that has been forced upon humans. They are cold and sterile beings within a harsh world, and this is precisely the kind of place in which the work of Sylvia Plath is able to shine. She can cast a light upon the feelings that a woman might experience upon coming to see these kinds of images that have been forced upon many women throughout the world.

Sylvia Plath (1963); Giovanni Giovannetti/Grazia Neri, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Mirror (1971) 

Mirror is a poem concerned with the realities of death and what comes with a natural death. The poem is quite interesting because it does not actually operate from Plath’s perspective, but rather from the perspective of a mirror.

This mirror shows Plath the realities of aging and how she has changed over time.

Our reflections are powerful things that can do a lot of damage to us, and it is doubtless that these are the kinds of thoughts that likely swirl around in the heads of many when they gaze into the mirror. These silvery objects reflect the realities of our bodies back on us, and we often don’t want to see what is shown within the mirrors around us.

Diane Arbus and Sylvia Plath (nd); Thomas_H_foto, CC BY-ND 4.0, via Flickr

Crossing The Water (1971) 

Crossing The Water is a poem that focuses on an introspective discussion of Plath’s struggles with grief. The poem is written as a journey on a boat, and this boat slowly crosses over dark waters.

This kind of imagery can be seen as reflective of the inner turmoil within the mind of the speaker as they contemplate their own life.

This poem explores a number of different themes that Sylvia Plath was known to explore, such as isolation, loss, and the fragility of life itself. This has gone on to become one of the most famous Sylvia Plath poems, and even though it is a relatively short poem, it has also been noted for its potent messages and imagery.

Typewriter Owned by Sylvia Plath (2018); smallcurio, CC BY 4.0, via Flickr

Ennui (2006) 

Ennui is the last of the Sylvia Plath poems on this list and also one of the earliest that she ever wrote. While much of the work that Sylvia Plath wrote was published posthumously seeing as she had such a young and tragic demise, there is nothing quite as posthumous as this poem. It was published nearly half a century after her death, and that was because it was discovered far later, and this poem was only discovered later because it was written and published when Sylvia Plath was still an undergraduate student. It had simply remained in obscurity for a very long time.

Regardless of the length of time that this poem has remained hidden from the world, it still shows the kind of themes that Sylvia Plath would often explore.

The title itself refers to a kind of existential boredom with life and the poem follows suit. It explores feelings of sadness and disappointment with the world and what all it has to give us. However, something that does set this very early Sylvia Plath poem apart from many of her later poems, is that it does follow a structure of sorts. It is a sonnet that follows a loose Petrarchan structure. It does still maintain a certain level of free verse style, but it is quite unlike the sort of poetry that Sylvia Plath would write later in her life, such as all of those above. However, one of her earliest written poems may be a great place to end things off in this list of Sylvia Plath poems.

Sylvia Plath Plaque (2010); Christian Lüts, CC BY-NC 4.0, via Flickr

There are sometimes figures out in the world like Sylvia Plath, and they burn immensely bright because of their powerful and fiery work. However, thanks to their own personal demons, they are not able to survive in the real world. Sylvia Plath tragically committed suicide at a young age, but she left behind an oeuvre that has remained one of the most potent ever produced. Her influence on confessional and free verse poetry is hard to overstate, but it is a tragedy that there is not a lot more work of hers out there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who Was Sylvia Plath?

Sylvia Plath was an American writer who is mostly known for one novel and several collections of poetry, although much of her work was only published after her death. She would go on to become an important figure in the realm of feminist literature and would have a profound impact on works that explored ideas of mental illness and depression. These were far more uncommon at the time, and many have been inspired by the work that she produced even though she wrote relatively little in her short life.

Why Was Sylvia Plath Famous?

Sylvia Plath was famous for her immense contributions to confessional poetry, but she would come to be immensely famous only after her passing. For instance, she published her first and only novel shortly before she committed suicide. However, she would later go on to receive a posthumous Pulitzer Prize, and this would aid in bringing her to even greater mainstream attention. Her difficult life, unusual death, and provocative poetry are all some of the major contributors to her literary fame.

How Did Sylvia Plath Die?

Sylvia Plath’s death is often mentioned alongside the death of other feminist figures, like Virginia Woolf, because of the unusual ways in which they had chosen to take their own lives. When it comes to Sylvia Plath, she entered her kitchen, sealed all of the possible exit points for gas, turned on her oven, and placed her head inside. She died of carbon monoxide poisoning. Prior to her suicide, she had struggled with depression and had attempted suicide on several occasions.

What Kind of Poetry Did Sylvia Plath Write?

When it comes to Sylvia Plath’s poems, they are generally within the tradition of confessional poetry. This form of poetry heavily focuses on personal feelings, and they can often be autobiographical. This is especially the case for the poetry of Sylvia Plath as they were an outlet for her thoughts and feelings. In addition, much of her work was free verse in nature and could explore the often difficult and jagged thoughts that she experienced.

What Are the Most Famous Sylvia Plath Poems?

While Sylvia Plath certainly did write many poems, she also did not write quite as many as she may have written had she lived longer than three decades. However, some of her most famous poems include Daddy (1965), Tulips (1965), and Crossing The Water (1971). There are loads of other Sylvia Plath poems worth reading and analyzing, but there are relatively few when compared to poets who lived far longer lives.

The post Sylvia Plath Poems – Explore the Mind of a Troubled Poet% first appeared on Art in Context.