Poems and Poets

"The Soldier" by Rupert Brooke is a testimony to the love and pride men felt towards their nation, before the First World War. "Under an English Heaven" is the most prominent line in the poem, that truly brings out the theme of patriotism and nationalism.  Brooke does not fill his poem with extravagant images or ostentatious depictions, rather, he uses simple words to express his profound love for his nation. The words that he uses, such as "laughter, learnt of friends" give way to reminiscences of fond memories, allowing the reader to delve into their own mind and evaluate the greatness of their country.

Hey Everyone! I'm back with an analysis of a poem- after a LONG time! Today, I'll be analyzing the imagery used in Ronald Reddy's "The Lost City". It's a simple read, but has an interesting theme and underlying message. Hope you enjoy!

Hey Everyone, I'm back with another Poetry Appreciation post. This won't be a very long review, in accordance with the length of the poem, and instead will simply point out a few things in the writing of this poem.   I was surfing through a list of modern-day poems when I came across this one. It struck me immediately, and stood out for all the right reasons. The poet personifies the sun, the wind and a tree and does it very well. I was drawn into her short descriptions and her casually dominant use of imagery.

Written by British Poet William Blake, "A Poison Tree" serves as both a reminder and a warning to each and every human being of the dangers of our nature. This simplistic poem speaks of anger and the way we should deal with it. Using unpretentious yet powerful language, Blake delivers a strong message to all his readers.

Still I rise is a poem written by American poet and civil rights activist, Maya Angelou. Along with various others, this poem was a method speak out about racism and sexism. This poem sarcastically questions the unspoken rules of society, bringing together two issues of the modern world- that have existed forever.   She begins "You may write me down in history, with your bitter, twisted lies", speaking of the bias and prejudice that exists surrounding her race, culture, gender etc. The most mesmerizing aspect of her writing is the simplicity with which she expresses her thought. Topics usually considered political, are challenged so casually by Angelou in all of her poems.

  The poem "One" by Shawnee Kellie is a very interesting and thought-provoking piece of writing. The poem spreads the message that it is not only a large group of people that can make a change, but one idea, one thought, one human that can help make the world a better place. 

 The narrative poem" The Hero" was written by Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore. Set in a young boy's imaginations this narrative has all the necessary elements and is rich in imagery. The characters, plot, setting, theme, climax and idea are all very clearly outlined.  The setting of the poem falls within the boy's imagination. It is described to have 'spiky grass' and a 'narrow broken path'. It is also mentioned that the country is 'strange and dangerous'. The rurality of the setting is further accentuated when Tagore talks of the 'cattle' and 'wide fields'.

Hello! For this post I will be exploring another poem written by Sarojini Naidu, called "Coromandel Fishers". This poem can be taken as an allegory, for although it speaks to fishermen, it's metaphoric value speaks to the nation, and can be considered a wakening call for the people of our country. When I wrote about "In the Bazaars of Hyderabad", I mentioned that Sarojini Naidu was one of our freedom fighters, and believed greatly in the Swadeshi movement. Naidu reflects her passion for India in this poem.

The Frog and The Nightingale is a narrative poem written by Indian author/poet, Vikram Seth. Written as both an allegory and a fable, Seth has personified the characters to an extent that allows readers to understand his theme, without making the literal poem very deep.   This poem discusses common human experiences. Written as a fable, the moral message deals with self- confidence and trust. Seth's main theme discuses the exploitation of the gullible by the crafty. This is- unfortunately- something we must all be cautious of today. Exploitation occurs around us every day. Seth delivers his message through an allegory. It  is a message for the readers to derive, rather than one to be fed to us.

" In the Bazaars of Hyderabad" is an English poem, written by Indian independence activist and poet, Sarojini Naidu. The poem was originally published in 1902 from London, in Naidu's book of poetry "The Bird of Time".    Written in five stanzas, not only does the poem describe the exuberant ambiance of a traditional Hyderabadi bazaar, it also encourages the Swadeshi movement. This was a  movement that played a huge role in the fight for India's independence. "Swadeshi" allowed Indians to buy products made and sold in India, rather than those made in India, then exported back to the country. This helped reduce the amount of money being collected by the British.

" I'm a woman,    Phenomenally    Phenomenal Woman,    That's me" This is the confidence that each woman should have. Each woman should know that her beauty lies not in her smile, hair and clothes, but in her touch, her laugh and her work. Because all women are " women phenomenally, phenomenal women".

 The poem has been titled " I cannot remember my mother". It attracted me for some reason, for I thought that surely, a poem couldn't be completely empty. There had to be some form of nostalgia, or memory in a poem about no remembrance.  I realized after reading it, that I was right. In fact, the poem's title can be considered an oxymoron. However, the extent to which this poem is nostalgic, the amount of tiny details in this poem, wow. But I don't suppose Tagore was a Literature Nobel Laureate for nothing. This poem has sensitized its audience to the poet's colossal loss, though the poet ,it seems,has made no effort to do so. There is nothing superfluous about his writing, and the poem seems like a true expression of his love for his mother. It talks about how his mother managed to leave her presence on everything before she passed away, and how those little memories of his,form an incomplete memory of his mother.

Often, we don't know quite a lot about poems. But when most people are asked to talk about a poem, they usually choose "Daffodils". William Wordsworth has succeeded in creating a beautiful poem in " Daffodils "that allows the reader to visualize each word.This beautiful poem is ubiquitous with similes and personifications.  The poem starts off with a simile, as Wordsworth compares the only character in the poem to a lonely cloud. " I wandered lonely as a cloud". Following this, the poet describes hills and valleys, which might imply that this was written in an area of nature. Of course, that is also suggested by the fact that he saw " a host of golden daffodils".

The Chimney Sweeper is the title of two poems, the second one being an extension of the first. Written by poet William Blake, the poems follow the miserable lives of poor children, who suffer through the inhumane task of sweeping chimneys. The poems were published in "Songs Of Innocence", and "Songs of Experience".