Old Memories Carrie Williams Analysis

Remembrance is the action of remembering something, a previous experience in which one has embedded deep in their mind. This is the theme in which my chosen poems embody. While the subject matter may differ, the language devices are similar to one another and the theme is the same. An example of this would be the two poems 'Paino' and 'The Mink' which each possess different styles and subjects but they both relate to the same theme. Furthermore, I believe the poems: 'Poem at thirty-nine', 'Remember', 'Ode of Remembrance', and 'For My Mother in Her Mid-90's', do exceptionally well to express this theme of remembrance.

Langston Hughes was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and a columnist. Hughes spent most of his childhood with his grandmother, who filled his imagination with stories of the past. The tradition of storytelling inspired Hughes to write. Additionally, he was influenced by American poets Paul Laurence Dunbar, Carl Sandburg, and Walt Whitman. “A Dream Deferred” is a poem based around the question, “What would happen if dreams were postponed?”

This is a very simple yet emotional poem. The poet, Pat Mora, incorporates the motif of loss and stresses the inevitability of it. Through her narrative poem, she provides a sense of reality on how one may approach the loss of a spouse from old age. Although this poem is concise, it is greatly impactful, and I could visualize the grief.

The meaning of a poem can be expressed through literary devices such as a metaphor or symbolism. When we look at the poem “My Papa’s Waltz,” Symbolism and metaphor are used strategically by the author to express the meaning of a poem. A metaphor is comparing two unlike things without using like or as and symbolism is to give more meaning and life to a certain thing. The poem highlights the experience of a child who was living with an abusive, drunk father and a mother who could not stand up for herself or her child.

The speaker uses sublime language consistently throughout the poem to create a reflective mood for the reader. The speaker reminisces on the past and what the future might look like with the sentimental quilt being in her possession. Her purpose was to emphasize the importance of the affinity of family despite the diversity in race and culture. The author is successful in doing this, using various literary techniques that assist her portray the

Plath was an amazing poet in the modernist period. She was influenced greatly by the era she lived in and her emotions during the time. She went through many hard times in her life, so she wrote to keep her mind off of them. Some of her poems included “Aftermath,” “Lorelei,” and “All Appearance.” She used many types of figurative language to convey the message of the poem.

By suggesting that the ones you adore will not live forever. To love and cherish the time you have. Shakespeare characterizes love as a treasure that you should keep with you even through the troublesome circumstances throughout everyday life. All through the poem the speaker utilizes numerous illustrations to compare aging with nature. For instance, in the first quatrain he says, "That time of year thou mayst in me behold" (Shakespeare 454).

Poetry has always been used as a literary art form to express one’s intense emotions or feelings, but does poetry have a true meaning of reflecting on people’s lives? Despite of the situation the reader may be going through, many people find comfort in poetry to recover and discover new meanings in their lives by relating to the author’s intense literary point of view. Through my journey with poems, I try to see the eye of the author and feel one’s emotions by rereading this type of literature. On this journey, I discover new meanings and different interpretations from John Donne’s “The Flea” that reflects contemporaneous events.

Ms. Sylvia Plath, an acknowledged poet and the English lecturer at Smith College, has been an inspiration to the youth in poetic realm. The varied assortment ranging from “Pursuit”, to “Mad Girl’s Love Song”, to “Spinster” has given the poetic foundation a varying aspect of confessionalism. Although of providing a new paradigm for poetry, Ms. Plath’s course is so indulged in expression that is making poetry excessively subjective. The use of poetry as a form to express personal emotions is recognized, but lack of reason and overwhelming depression with gender bias is hurtful for all. Subjectivism is an integral portion of poetry to express human emotions.

Enjambment is used throughout the free verse poem to make memories free flowing. In the poem, Walker’s use of language is very direct, as seen in the first line “How I miss my father.” This is a very emotive phrase, making the poem personal, and brings readers immediately into Walker’s memories with her father, who is no longer alive. The importance of the phrase is highlighted as it is the only full sentence in the poem written in one line. In stanza four, Walker uses repetition, again writing “How I miss my father!”