Analysis of Poems from Norton Anthology of Poetry Mending Walls by Frost and Corinnas Going A-Maying by Herrick - Coursework Example

s Essay, English 22 January Introduction to Poetry 0 Introduction A poem is defined as a collection of written words that typically employs figurative and in most cases, hidden language. Usually, poems are written in separate lines often following a specific rhythm and sometimes using rhyme. In most cases, poems are written with a purpose for performance by human voice. This, therefore, means that poems are best understood if presented thereby involving an engagement of both the visual and hearing senses. The message and the meaning of a poem largely depend on the arrangement of the wordings and the better yet in the method through which it is presented. Good poems employ various styles of writing and other poetry components such as a catchy title, clear setting, form and meter, symbolism, imagery and wordplay among others. This paper will analyze two poems from Norton Anthology of Poetry (5th Edition) namely Mending Walls by Robert Frost and Corinna’s Going A-Maying by Robert Herrick. These two poems are stylistically contrasting with the latter proving to be quite superior in virtually all dimensions of poetry-writing. The discussion will, therefore, analyze both poems, with an emphasis to identifying the weaknesses of the poem Mending Walls. I will consequently use these weaknesses to justify my stand as to why I think this poem should not have been included in Norton Anthology of Poetry (5th Edition). 2.0 Analysis of Mending Walls by Robert Frost (Ferguson et al., 1227) The speaker in the poem communicates that something is not going as expected in the countryside. There is an indication that something is against the idea of the walls that separates the speaker’s property from that of the neighbor. Therefore, the two (he and his neighbor) are forced to walk together along the whole length of this wall every spring, mending the parts that have crumbled. The speaker, however, is presented as one who changes his mind and now questioning the significance of these walls. He argues that the fact that he grows apples and his neighbor grows pine makes it not as necessary to keep repairing this wall as they have always done every spring. However, the neighbor replies to him saying “good fences make good neighbors”. In the subsequent spring, the speaker tries to become mischievous, reintroducing the same topic of the little significance of the wall. This, he does in an attempt to convince his neighbor to reconsider his stance on the walls. However, the neighbor is rigid in his decision to have the walls remain properly erected between the two properties. 3.0 Reasons why the poem is poorly crafted 3.1 Structure Frost wrote this poem in blank verse which means that he did not involve rhyme in it. The poem is also written in one block thereby meaning the poet did not employ any use of stanzas. 3.2 The speaker The speaker is clear at the beginning as to what he feels about the walls through his concerns about why they keep falling each year. However, the speaker becomes unclear as the poem moves along, thereby losing the role that he plays in making the poem interesting to follow at the beginning through his interrogations. He only reappears at the final part of the poem although, in general, the speaker appears scantily in the poem. 3.3 The poem’s title The title Mending Wall is also a little bit too plain and makes it quite predictable for the poem reader to guess what the poem is all about. It does not elicit any excitement in a reader which could be a source of turn-off to most readers. 4.0 What a good poem looks like- an analysis of Corinna’s Going A-Maying by Robert Herrick (Ferguson et al., 356) 4.1 The poem’s summary The poem Corinna’s Going A-Maying describes a young man who persuades his lover, Corinna, to go out with him during a spring season. The young man tells the lover that she should not be ashamed to go out and meet up with others since already many other young men and women are there as well looking to get married. He affirms this by telling her that life is indeed short, and thus they should be happy and enjoy the freedom that comes with being alive. 4.2 Reasons why the poem Corinna’s Going A-Maying represents a perfect poem 4.2.1 Theme Corinna’s Going A-Maying has a very clear theme that is the need to enjoy life and its pleasures before it gets too late. The speaker is very clear when he tells Corinna that she should seize the day and the opportunities it brings instead of banking trust in the unknown future. 4.2.2 Tone Corinna’s Going A-Maying has a distinct tone that indicates anticipation, joy, happiness, and exuberance. 4.2.3 End rhyme The poem has a consistency in its use of end rhyme which is one of the most important aspects of entertaining poems. For example, in every stanza, the end word in the first line rhymes with that of the second line. The same sequence is repeated in the sentence pairs of the third and fourth, and the fifth and sixth. In this type of rhyme where two successive lines rhyme is known as a couplet. All couplets end with a masculine rhyme, which means that the rhyming part is made up of a single syllable, for example, mark and park, obey and May. However, the last couplet in every stanza ends in a feminine syllable which means that they comprise two rhyming syllables, for example, staying and a-Maying. 4.2.4 Figures of speech Herrick employed a wide variety of figure of speech as seen in Corinna’s Going A-Maying. 4.2.5 Alliteration This is defined as the repetition of consonants in two or more words which succeed each other or placed at short intervals in a poem (Adaslsteinsson, 17). In Corinna’s Going A-Maying, the use of alliteration is extensively used as in the case of Come, my Corinna, come… 4.2.6 Hyperbole This is a deliberate use of extreme exaggerations usually used as rhetorical or literary device. For example, in Corinna’s Going A-Maying, Herrick has used the phrase “endless night”. 4.2.7 Similes These are figures of speech that indicate comparison between one thing to another. Usually, similes are described by the use of ‘as’ and ‘like’. An example of a simile use in Corinna’s Going A-Maying is seen where Herrick compares the passing of days to the passing of the sun “…our days… As fast away as does the sun” 4.2.8 Anaphora This is described as the repetition of a phrase or a word the beginning of a sentence, verse or phrase (Howard, 107). For example, the word “many” is repeated severally in Corinna’s Going A-Maying. 5.0 Features of a good poem- my taste Following the comparison created between the two poems analyzed above, it is quite easy to tell what entices me to good poetry. First, I always find a well-segmented poem attractive to the eye which is a good start for me to analyze it. By segmentation, I mean that the poem should have clear verses and stanzas which indicate clarity in the idea presentation in a poem. Secondly, a good poem to me is one that employs several figures of speech such as metaphors, similes, hyperboles and alliteration among others. A poem should also use various styles of writing such as rhyme which makes it interesting to read and follow. Finally, a good poem should focus on a specific theme which makes it easy for the reader to understand exactly what the poet communicates through the poem. 6.0 Conclusion My opinion on the poem Mending Walls by Robert Frost is that it is poorly structured and lacks a clear theme and coherency. Despite employing a few figures of speech and poetry writing styles, it leaves out the use of rhyme which is a key component of poetry. The poem should, therefore, be excluded from Norton Anthology of Poetry (5th Edition). Works cited Adalsteinsson, Ragnar I. Traditions and Continuities: Alliteration in Old and Modern Icelandic Verse. , 2014. Internet resource. Ferguson, M. W, Mary J. S, and Jon S. The Norton Anthology of Poetry. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. Print. Howard, Gregory T. Dictionary of Rhetorical Terms. Thorofare, N.J.: Xlibris Corp, 2010. Print. Read More