Poem Research Papers Samples For Students

The poems, “Do Not Go Gently into That Night” by Dylan Thomas and “Because I Could Not Stop for Death” by Emily Dickenson, deal with the theme of death. Both poets use figurative devices to compare and contrast their abstract views on death. Thomas rejects the idea of death, and implores his father to fight his impending death. On the other hand, the woman in Dickenson’s poem embraces death as she goes willingly into death’s embrace. In essence, there is no specific way to present poems that share the same theme. Each poet chooses unique ...

The two poems, Because I Could Not Stop for Death, by Emily Dickinson and Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night, by Dylan Thomas deal with the theme of death. Each poem looks at death in different ways. Thomas does not accept death readily, but implores his father to hold on to life. On the other hand, Dickinson accepts death calmly. Both poets make use of figurative devices such as metaphors, personification and alliteration as they explore their opposing views of the concept of death.

Dickinson creates the feeling that death has compassion and creates a contrast in how ...

Robert Hass born in 1941 in San Francisco is a contemporary American poet and has more often been referred to as a California poet; because sometimes his poems tend to have a West Coast based aura and theme. This poet has been recognized as the most celebrated and widely read contemporary English poet. His works don’t only include original writings, but he is also known as a critic and translator for the Polish poet Czeslaw Milosz and the Japanese haiku experts Issa, Buson and lastly Basho. His translation of Czeslaw Milosz from “Hymn” goes on to say: “There is no ...

When many people think of satire, they understand that it is a subversive approach to a certain social or political issue through the use of irony. Works like the Earl of Rochester’s “A Satire Against Reason and Mankind,” Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal or John Dryden’s MacFlecknoe all make fun of some perceived failing of its audience, whether it be the “Satire’s poking fun at rationalism and reason, Swift’s pointing out of the problems facing Ireland as a result of English ignorance, or Dryden’s ridiculing of his contemporaries’ inadequate literary criticism. However, to what end do ...

Rita Dove and Katherine Mansfield were not contemporaries, nor do they write in the same genre. But two works, one from each author, are worth comparing and contrasting since both have a similar underlying theme, which leads the reader to a contrary conclusion.
“DayStar” is a poem by Rita Dove that has to do with the life of a busy mother who is only able to leave her perpetual duties for an hour a day. Katherine Mansfield’s “Miss Brill” is about a woman who is an avid people watcher who uses her avid imagination to find meaning in every exchange happening in earshot ...

John Donne’s poetry reflects a deep image of religious elements and most of his sonnets are the combination of both Catholic and Protestant. In “The Flea” and “Show Me Dear Christ” John Donne also uses religious imagery. He expresses in implicit way this tactic. HHHHis early poem “The Flea” implies the concept of sexual love; furthermore, it exemplifies unconventional metaphor by which the flea bites two lovers, who are compared on the basis of sex. Moreover, we see a woman trying to resist sexual advances. The speaker with the help of the flea was trying to convince her that the ...

Analysis of “Riders to the Sea”

The poetic drama Riders to the Sea, written by John Synge, is a wonderfully lyrical and haunting drama about an Irish family and the relationship it has to the sea. Maurya, the matriarch of the family, loses the vast majority of her family to the sea, leaving her clinging to whatever hopes might be available to her that any of her family might still be alive. By making this play so poetic in tone, the presentationalism of Riders to the Sea draws the reader into the plight of the characters. Sunge’s low-key requiem shows the hardship of the Irish ...

Frances Harper is one of the famous African-American authors from the nineteenth century. She has written various literary works such as poems, stories and, essays revolving around themes of racial pride, female self-esteem and, equal rights . In general, Frances has used her talent of writing, hence her literature, as her way of protesting against evils of society.
Likewise, The Slave Mother, by Frances Harper portrays the horrors and brutalizing nature of slavery. Unlike other literary works chosen for the assignment, this poem in particular describes the psychological and emotional pain resulting from slavery and separation. The poem is ...

Presentation and evaluation of three critical approaches to the poem ‘To His Coy Mistress’ by Andrew Marvell – Analysis of each one of these approaches according to the socio-historical context of the era in which each approach was developed – Reflections drawn upon these three approaches and personal conclusion upon their validity
[The author’s name]

Abstract

This research paper will present you with three critical approaches of the existing ones as far as the analysis and interpretation of the poem ‘To His Coy Mistress’ is concerned. The poem was written by Andrew Marvell in the 1650s, which is a literary period ‘ ...

Introduction

Oscar Wilde lived a short life: it was shortened, blighted and humiliated - social hypocrisy, the letter of the law and the arrogance of decadent behavior of the poet.
Oscar Fingal (according to some sources - Fringal) O'Flaherty Wills Wilde was born on October 6, 1854 in the family of Sir William Wilde, Dublin ophthalmologist with the world-famous author of dozens of books on medicine, history and geography. "The dirtiest man in all of Ireland" this was saying about him. However, in England, he was appointed court surgeon, and later made a lord. In Stockholm, he was given the Order ...

Importance of Love in Love is Not All and Since feeling is First

“Love” is probably the most frequent and debatable topic as being identified in the arena of poetry. The majority of the best and extremely renowned poets have presented expressed their thoughts regarding love by means of their poems. It is the actual reason that makes the poetry rich and unique. Many of the poets portray the same issue, but they convey its significance with an entirely different viewpoint. Every poet explains love through his unique style and communicates his emotions and concepts involving love in an entirely imaginative and impressive way. There is an example of two poems written ...

AP English IV BLOCK

Imagery in Ben Jonson’s “Song: To Celia”
Ben Jonson was one of the most popular poets of the Renaissance period in England, and he became famous during his lifetime and was awarded the title of the Poet Laureate of England. He remained remembered as a writer consistent in his inconsistency, and varying in his images as a Jacobean Jonson, Regency Jonson, and Romantic Jonson – a diverse and multi-dimensional product of his age (Lockwood 10). Though Jonson was most famous for his comedies and plays, such as Volpone or the Fox, The Alchemist, etc., he is also credited for writing lyrical ...

In The Iliad, the author sets warfare as the most important aspects of the society. It is necessary to note that the current war in the poem is not at the action and plot in the text, but war is one of the detectable social forces in the poem. Men in the poem who fail to respect the warrior character of the society or fail to take part in the ongoing wars are ostracized and criticized. Declining to engage in battles or war or being labeled a coward are the worst ways that a man can be defined, since the man ...

A verse from James chapter 1 verse 27 points out at the purpose of God in my life. It says that, “Pure religion, undefiled before God and the Father, is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world”( James 1:27 New International Version). This verse simply means that the sole purpose of God in human life is to ensure they live a righteous life unstained by the tainted things of the world. Those who manage to live such a life achieve God’s purpose for human life. A verse from Revelation ...

Revelation chapter 3 verses 11 to 12 says,” I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name” (Revelation 5: 11-12 New International Version). This passage shows that ...

English

The poem is about the statue of liberty and the major theme of the poem is how the statue of liberty acts as the benevolent empress and the mother to the exiles. The main theme is to welcome the immigrants through the lips of the mighty women guarding the golden gates and to present America as the Promised Land and to depict American dream as worth migrating and striving for. The poem starts with the following significant words, “Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame”. The beginning of the poem clarifies that this Colossus is not a continuation of ...

Following the American Psychological Association’s Guidelines

For this experiment, I am testing the theory that sleep deprivation will weaken the mind’s ability to recall certain words, inhibit word association, and disrupt the ability to recall whole phrases. I am conducting this experiment because the general way the mind works has always fascinated me but I have had a particular interest in memory, especially in terms of what weakens it. It is well known that old age can weaken the memory, but I have interest in other areas of life that can weaken the memory, such as stress, trauma, and sleep deprivation. Because I am not ...

The poet, Eliot, reflects on the masterpieces of the Modernist Movement that shows the character traits of Modernism. Eliot the modernist poet, experiments with the structure and form of the poem. This shows him to be experimental as well as innovative. The “Love Song” was indeed an innovation technically and it was intrigued by the idiom and the broken sequences of the French symbolist. The poem is unique in various senses. It proclaims a complete break with the traditional valuation of poetry as something serious (Sarker, 57).
The main theme of this poem is paralysis. The root of paralysis ...

Vertical Diagram for the book Ephesians Chapter 2

1 As for you,
you were dead in your transgressions and sins,

2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world

and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air,
the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

3 All of us also lived among them at one time,

gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.

4 But because of his great love for us,

God, who is rich in mercy,
5 made us alive with Christ
even when we were dead in transgressions-
it is by grace you have been saved.

6 And God raised us up with Christ

and seated us with him
in the heavenly realms

in Christ Jesus,

...

W.H. Auden's poem "Say the City Has Ten Million Souls,"

ABSTRACT
Analysis of the Auden's (1939) poem, "Say This city Has Ten Million Souls" provides the opportunity for connecting the social precepts of place and displacement offered by Aschcroft et al (1989) for explaining the plight of the refugee as marginalized by the host society. In doing so, the poem becomes a lens for understanding the use of Fairclough's Critical Discourse Analysis Model for assessing the three dimension of literature. The outcome of the following academic discussion provides a tapestry of the psychological, emotional, and social, challenges of the human ...

Literature refers to the creative works of art that include drama, poetry, nonfiction, and fiction works. Literature is a tool that is used to describe the language, tradition, and the culture of different societies. This is because; literature deals with the cultural, and the historical artifact of the society. Through literature, the young members of the society learn about the culture of the society, and the economic activities that a certain society involves. The intended meaning in literary works is discovered by studying the works of an author and analyzing the work according to how the message is said. Interpretation of ...

“Annabel Lee” is a sad and spooky poem that deals with the death of a beautiful young woman, which is not surprising, since that happens to be one of Edgar Allan Poe’s favorite subjects. The poem is about a beautiful memory that is also painful at the same time. Poe is recalling his memory Annabel Lee, who is his long-lost love, who meant more than just some teenage crush to him. Despite being children at the time, the two were madly and serious in love with each other. Their love was so strong that it was noticed even by the angels in ...

Mark 16:1-8 “The Resurrection of Jesus”

Introduction to Biblical Studies
Dec. 1, 2013
Introduction
This paper will examine the interpretation and application of the book of Mark 16:1-8: The Resurrection of Jesus. The author of Mark 16:1-8 intended to explain and store faith and
belief in the rising of Christ. The resurrection of Jesus sent a message of hope and power
in the holy lands.
The resurrection of Jesus as recorded in the book of Mark sets the humiliation, conquer and unfairness of the crucifixion and the death of Christ. It shows the glory, victory and the justice found in ...

Deferment can be said to be the art of postponing something and not cancelling the same. The short story by Toni, The Lesson, generally revolves around several characters. However, the narration is the first person by Toni Cade Bambara. On the other hand, the poem, Harlem, by Langston Hughes depicts an African American who seems disillusioned by the state of national affairs and the waning of hope for a better life.
In this critical analysis of the two literature works, I seek to assess the viability of how people respond when society tries bringing down people. This poses the ...

"Robert Hayden"

The poem Those Winter Sundays by Robert Hayden tells about a hardworking foster father who does not get any appreciation from anyone. Robert Hayden was brought up in a poor family and he admired a foster father next door. Robert Hayden attended University of Michigan with H. Auden where he got much influence from Auden to continue writing. Robert also appreciated the work of other poets and his became his role models. Since Robert was black, most of his writings concentrated on race and he had lots of concern with racial expression.
This particular poem was about a father who would wake ...

11th book of the Odyssey and the Aeneid by Virgil

Katabasis can be defined as a descent of some type; like moving downhill, a military retreat, sinking of the sun and winds or a trip to the underground. There exist numerous related meanings in rhetoric, poetry and modern psychology. This essay seeks to compare two katabasis i.e. the eleventh book of the odyssey and Aeneid.
In the two pieces, the heroes to the underworld are articulated exactly in the middle of the poems. They are extremely similar however the differences in the purposes as why the two are composed and the societies for which they have been created for means that ...

Thesis

Robert Frost’s ‘The Road Not Taken’ and Eudora Welty’s ‘A Worn Path’ are contrastingly different yet similar in some ways. While one is a poem, the other is a short story; however, they both seem to reveal a similar sentiment and expression of the protagonists. In ‘The Road Not Taken,’ the narrator, while waking on a road reaches a point where the road splits in two different directions. He stops to ponder which road to take and opts for the road less travelled. He was far from the madding crowd and close to nature. In ‘A Worn Path,’ the story revolves around ...

The Daffodils, also known as ‘I wandered lonely as cloud’, is one of William Wordsworth’s best known poems. It is also possibly one of the most mysterious ones in terms of its meaning and what the great poet was truly implying through this simple, melodious work. Traditional analysts have approached it as a straight forward reflection on nature, a poet’s description of a sight that moved his heart in more ways than he had realized at the time. However, I believe that the poem has much deeper meaning than one first perceives. Wordsworth has made a remarkable statement on human nature, ...

The basic nature of the Psalms rests in the expression of unconditional trust and love in God (Futato and Howard, 2007). It is the need for humanity to express this in order attains wisdom that rests at the heart of this Psalm. From beginning to end, the core lesson is the vital need to let go of the mortal and temporal world and trust in the Lord. This element of purity is exemplified in the Psalm 62 written in the unmistakable tenor of hope and confidence. Argued to be written as a song of praise unto God, the sense of ...

Introduction

The book of Daniel is a unique book in the Old Testament. It contains visions, dreams and supernatural proclamations. There are some notions in the bible that are easy enough to understand but then there are also some notions that are hard to decipher. The prophecies of Daniel fall in the category of notions that are hard to understand. While commenting on the seventy sevens in the book of Daniel, John Walvoord said they were vital in understanding Old and New Testament prophecies.In the midst of all the great prophecies, the prophecy regarding the Seventy Weeks still stands out as ...

Introduction

Philip Freneau’s To Sir Toby chronicles on the slavery experienced on the Caribbean islands. This is because the residents undergo suffering in the hands of the slave masters at the landmass. Freneau applies vivid imagery and expressive language to portray inhuman practices by slave owners. The poet tries to discourage this habit by condemning the actions of the slave masters. For instance, he opposes slavery on every level from acquisition of people as possessions, to labelling them, to brutalizing them like animals. As a result, the poem is useful as it serves as a passionate work about the wrongs of ...

James Mercer Langston Hughes, one of the most influenced writers, thinkers and poets of Harlem Renaissance was born on February, 1, 1902, in Joplin, Missouri. It was that time of twentieth century when America was suffering from great political crisis because of the assassination of President William McKinley. Pathways to prosperity had opened its doors at the turn of twentieth century in America, but Hughes seriously felt that he and his other African-American fellows are excluded from these opportunities. They experienced extreme discrimination in education and employment. Hughes experienced a lonely and bad childhood which had a strong influence on his poetry. ...

One of the most prolific, incendiary and thought-provoking poets and authors of the latter part of the 20th century, Charles Bukowski firmly established himself as a unique voice in American popular culture. Focusing on the filth and grime of American masculinity and machismo, Bukowski’s works touched on the ‘real’ America, a place filled with alcohol, sex and depravity, taking place primarily in the city of Los Angeles. This highly influential writer has also been the subject of numerous critical discourse, attempting to break down his works into their subtextual and compositional elements to glean greater meaning from them. Starting from ...

Introduction

Sylvia Plath is one of the most admired and dynamic poet of the 20th Century. She was mostly known for her book the Bell jar which was a collection of poems. Her poetry represented a self loathing and disturbing stance that could probably have been prompted by the tough life she had led as a child and under the care of her authoritarian father. According to Biography.com (n.p), her poetry was “highly acclaimed” due to its “confessional style,” linking her to other confessional poets like Anne Sexton and Robert Lowell. This paper should present facts about Sylvia Plath’s early life, career ...

Death has been a recurrent theme in Emily Dickinson’s poems. In the poem, Because I Could Not Stop for Death, too the poet weaves the words to portray the somber inevitability of human life. She uses symbolism throughout her work to create the ambience. The poet utilizes the character of Death in this poem as an extended metaphor. The poem goes on to delve deep into the nature of real death—the greatest truth of human nature. In this poem, the poet describes death as the final destination of life and explores symbolically how death caressingly guides one through ...

The modern world is dominated by technological influences that have seen a change in the lifestyle and behavior of man. A comparison is always made on how the day-to-day life of man is being influenced by the technological developments. This has different impacts on people depending on how they handle the changes. Observing the behavior displayed by man, one can only be amazed at the power of how technology has turned man from being a naturally social creature to a machine like individual. Robert frost is one of the modern poets who has observed the changing trend in man even with the ...

Essay Exploring “Realistic Love” Portrayed in Hayden’s “Those Winter Sundays.”

Robert Hayden’s biography is a story that begins in a difficult poverty, a tough family life and poor eyesight that prevented him from the occupations that many youth busy themselves. This trials turn into an unlikely success; with Hayden becoming the first black American to by appointed the Poet Laureate of the United States. Still, his background is present in his work. His personal history shines through in his famous poem “Those Winter Sundays.” On a reading recorded on The Poetry Foundation’s website, Hayden says before reciting the poem, “Here’s a poem that comes directly out of my boyhood in Detroit.”( ...

On the surface, the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight appears to be a simple tale of a knight who accepts a difficult quest and, fulfilling it, returns to the court at Camelot, victorious. However, upon further exploration of the poem, much about its meaning becomes increasingly ambiguous. For example, the poem’s fourteenth century poet could have had a very different intent concerning ideas of chivalry and temptation than a modern reader may assume after reading the poem. Literary scholars argue over the meaning of Sir Gawain in terms of ideas about chivalry, temptation, the role of women, and the place of ...

"Next, Please" by Philip Larkin

Expectation and hope are some of our most basic human traits; we always hope for a glad future, in which all of our problems will be solved and better days await us. In Philip Larkin's poem "Next, Please," however, that concept is argued to distract us from the ever-fleeting present, as the author notes how much time we spend (or waste) on promises and expectations instead of living in the now. While the poem starts out light, it quickly descends into dark implications for those whom Larkin is chastising (Reibetanz, 1982).
In the first verse, Larkin seems to tease ...

Robert Frost is considered one of the greatest American poets of all time. He created imagery and cultural memes that exist in American culture to this day; indeed, some of what is considered trite and overdone in poetry was introduced into the art by Frost. “Mending Wall,” one of Frost’s most famous pieces of poetry, is particularly prevalent and common in American culture, even today. Different critics analyze the text of “Mending Wall” differently, but there are a few different camps that analyses of this particular poem fall into.
Some critics, while analyzing “Mending Wall,” take into account ...

Abstract

The works of Oscar Wilde are both entertaining and humanizing. The stories are usually critiques of the rich or wealthy in society. They also seem to a reflection of Wilde’s own life and circle.
A prevalent theme in Oscar Wilde’s works is the hypocrisy of the rich which result in the abuse of themselves and others, especially the poor or less privileged. This theme is particularly apparent in many of works. Analyzed in this paper are Oscar Wilde’s novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray; short stories, The Devoted Friend and The Model Millionnaire; and the poem, ...

Beowulf is amongst the most famed poems in old English. Beowulf consists of about three thousand lines and was drafted in England in the late 800’s AD. It was published in the Anglo-Saxon epoch from 449 AD to 1066 AD. During those days the theme fate, death, and afterlife were so trendy in British literature works. In the poem, a war lord from Geats rises to the salvage of Hrothgar, the ruler of the Danes whose territory is under siege by a monster, Grendel. Beowulf sails through and conquers Grendel. To demonstrate his proficiency, he even slays Grendel with his ...

Introduction

‘After great pain, a formal feeling comes’ is a well acclaimed short poem by American poet, Emily Dickinson. Dickinson lived an isolated and comfortable life in her father’s house. Emily Dickinson is now considered as one of the most noteworthy American poets but there was a time when she was known for her unique prosaic lifestyle. Only a small number of literary works written by Dickinson were published during her lifetime. She wrote hundreds of poems that were discovered after her death. This paper intends to discuss the poem, ‘After great pain, a formal feeling comes,’ one of the most famous literary works ...

Research Paper

Selected article from a scholarly journal: Coleridge's "Kubla Khan": Creation of Genius or Addiction? By Karen Mahar
In this article, Mahar doubts the creative ability and imagination of Coleridge as expressed in the poem "Kubla Khan." In fact, the author believes that Coleridge’s creativity, in this poem, is not natural, but influenced by opium. Mahar begins by acknowledging the literary abilities and skills of Coleridge as a chief Romantic poet and theorist (Mahar 1). The author further acknowledges that Coleridge’s most famous poems, including Kubla Khan, combine great elements of lyric genius and fantasy; however, the imagination ...

Introduction

Vigil and Dante are main characters in the Divine Comedy poem of the 14th century. Its first part is the inferno followed by Purqatorio and Paradiso in that order. The poem is the author’s allegory of the journey through hell. In the poem, Virgil acts as a guide to Dante’s vigil journey. The poem portrays hell as having nine circles where suffering and torment goes on earth. Symbolically, the divine comedy is a representation of the soul’s journey to heaven. Describing rejection and recognition within the Inferno is the theme of the entire poem. Virgil’s presence in ...

One of the things, among others, that the poets John Donne (1572–1631) and John Milton (1608–1674) have in common is their poetic style. John Donne and John Milton developed a poetic style in which they reasonably and often paradoxically approached philosophical and spiritual subjects. Although John Donne and John Milton have written fairly distinct poems, but their constructions of devotion and godly poetics tend to be quite similar. Although most of their poetic works are centered on their personal relationship with spirituality, but the sexual realism in their poetries cannot be ignored or overlooked. They use rhythms in ...

Much of James Langston Hughes’ work addresses the racial inequality in the United States of America at the beginning of the twentieth century. There are few writers who’s poetry relates this particular subject in such an eloquent and powerful fashion. The work is accessible to most readers, even those who have not experienced racism first-hand. In his three poems, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” “I, Too, Sing America,” and “Harlem,” James Langston Hughes explores the struggles through which African-Americans had to endure in the first half of the twentieth century to be considered equal to white American citizens. ...

The “New Negro Movement” came about as a result of a need to establish new identity for African-Americans after their freedom in the Civil War. There was still a great deal of racism present throughout the country, even in the comparatively enlightened cities of New York and Chicago, among others. The primary battlefield of this cultural movement was Harlem, New York, considered the “cultural capital of black America.” A great number of blacks had moved to New York in order to become part of this burgeoning musical and art culture, as well as financial and job opportunities. This soon-to-be “mecca for black ...

Many scholars consider lyrical poetry as the epitome of Chinese traditional literature. While the literary aspect of Chinese poetry is conventional knowledge among Chinese Literary scholars, there is a conventional agreement that the Tang Dynasty 618- 907 played a critical role in the development of Chinese Poetry. In China, poetry played a role that was distinct form that in the West. During the Tang Dynasty, poetry became a language of communication that went beyond literature and entertainment. Poetry became a tool of communication, a demonstration of affection and a custodian of secrets among the members of the society.
In such a poetic world, defining a poet became a ...

A birthday party was given for Robert Frost when he turned eighty five years old. His publishers, Henry Holt and Company hosted a party on March 26, 1959. The guest speaker at the event was the essayist Louis Trilling. During the speech Trilling referred to Frost as “a terrifying poet.” This comment caused a controversy. In the April issue of The New York Times Book Review the columnist J. Donald Adams criticized Tilling for using that description of Robert Frost. Several people had their angry letters published.

Does Trilling make a good point that Frost’s poems are terrifying? The poems will be ...

"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"

Eliot’s poem, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” was the author’s first published works. At the time, it was considered unusual as modernism was new. Though the piece seems to centre around the theme of love, the nature of its speaker, and perhaps of modernism itself, leads the reader to an end where the love is never fulfilled. Eliot uses a variety of poetic devices such as symbolism, metaphor and imagery. Furthermore, he uses a concoction of poetic forms within what is, essentially, a dramatic monologue.
"The Love Song of J. ...

“The Unknown Citizen” is a poem written by W.H. Auden and depicts a period of significant negative changes in the history of United States. Several references within the poem make it rather obvious and easy to interpret that the target is in fact the Government, but is handled in a light hearted manner. The poem doesn’t attack the government or the bureaucrat directly, but instead uses a very modest and humorous tone to play off these matters (“X. J. Kennedy”).The history associated with this poem is complex and highlighted the distortion of what is obscure and public from those who are ...

This poem by John Donne is centered on a spiritual love that transcends the physical. As a metaphysical poem, this work uses several exaggerated comparisons in literature, a type of analogy that takes something physical and compares it to something spiritual or beyond physical. (Wikipedia contributors)

Starting from the title which means, when we part we must not mourn. This poem is for his beloved wife to comfort her while he was going on a business trip. He asks her not to mourn his departure and not to cry, by saying, “So let us melt, and make no noise, No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests ...

“A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” was written by John Donne, who was born in 1572 in a Roman Catholic family, in London. He studied both law and theology and was known as the founder of Metaphysical Poetry, which includes details and comparisons beyond the physical realm. Abstract comparisons are made to a physical or tangible object. Donne’s imagery therefore is eclectic and startling, and we see marks of the metaphysical conceit throughout the poem when the two souls (of his beloved’s and his) are compared to the two feet of a compass, united in the center. The poem was written roughly ...

When Dreams Do Not Come True

In the world of creative writing and literature, there are various ways in which authors can express their thoughts and send message to the audience. Some might explain their message in a comprehensible prose and immediately express the main aim of the whole literary work; others might create a piece full of strong visual images which bring the audience to the theme and author’s message (Kennedy and Dana 250). In the last case, the language of the poem tends to be full of creative language devices and symbolism. The meaning of symbolism and literary devices are particularly important for the comprehension ...

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening paints a beautiful picture of a different time. A horse and rider take time to stop and watch the snow falling in the woods. It sounds like a painting. Yet, much more is going on here than appreciation of nature. The meaning of the poem is that the only character is about to go on a long journey to fulfill a promise. The promise is a great responsibility. The promise might be going to war, taking care of a loved one who is ill, or just taking a moment to rest before resuming the normal responsibilities of life.

The first stanza ...

Parents work hard to educate their children - to teach them lessons and impart their knowledge to their progeny. This is often exemplified in American literature, often through the perspective of the parents. The particular lessons that men and women give to their male or female children never cease to amaze; often, these lessons speak volumes about the temperament and priorities of the gender itself. What's more, generation gaps and changes in priority are usually exemplified in the particular conflicts that these people have. In this essay, several different poems and short stories on the experience of parenting and ...

Emily Dickinson is one of America’s most beloved poets. She wrote of nature, love, and death. It is said that Dickinson wrote 1800 poems, the majority of which were untitled. Dickinson was known to be somewhat reclusive and introverted throughout her life. These traits, however, did not preclude her from observing and appreciating even the simplest forms of her natural surroundings. One of Dickinson’s poems involving nature is “A Bird Came Down the Walk-.” It is this poem that will be discussed here. Dickinson’s poetry is of a personal quality, not only to the poet, but ...

Walt Whitman’s ‘To a Locomotive in Winter’ and Emily Dickinson’s ‘I Like to see it lap the miles’ are two poems that are written about trains, albeit in different styles. While Whitman’s poem is straightforward and the reader is clear that he is talking about a train, Dickinson’s poem uses imagery and a roundabout way to describe a train going through the hills. Both the poems have different tones- Whitman uses a more formal tone while talking about the train, while Dickinson uses a rhyming structure that is more folksy in nature. Both the poets ...

Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”, though well-written poetically, does not live up to its name. It is neither a poem about love nor is it a song. The poem simply expresses Prufrock’s indecision about life and women. Interpretation of the entire poem must rely on the epigraph for a complete understanding of Eliot’s intent and theme. The theme of indecision runs consistently through the point of view Eliot chose, as well as through setting, characters, tone and the use of repetition, imagery and metaphors.
The poem begins with an epigraph borrowed from Dante’ ...