Hot and Cold: Warmth in Poetry
Poetry is one of the more mysterious denizens of the literary world. A poem can be anything, from a three-lined poem known as a haiku to a giant epic poem like the “The Odyssey.” They can be rhyming or non-rhyming, long or short, sensible or nonsensical. Even lyrics in songs can be considered poetry, seeing as how they are rhyming and flow so well. The parameters for a poem are wide, the requirements few; but no matter what style or author you read, from Homer to Doctor Seuss, symbolism is the driving force behind it all. Symbolism is the reason for every piece of poetry written so far, even some of Doctor Seuss’s books. Countless words, thoughts, and ideas are used to convey symbolism. A flower, a tree, and even the color blue just to name a few. But one recurring piece of symbolism found throughout the literary world is the use of temperature. The warmth of the sun or a comforting smile, the cold of night or a dark hospital room, the use of temperature plays a part in many poems and plays its part well. But the part it plays can vary from writer to writer, poem to poem. The three major uses of temperatures though are to show the warmth of memory versus the harsh cold of reality, the warmness of comfort, and how warmth is used to show life and vitality while cold is used to signify harshness and cruelty.
The first two poems to discuss are “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” by William Wordsworth and “Disabled” by Wilfred Owen. These two poems are very different in their subject, but their usage of temperature in the form of memory gives them a common denominator. Both speak of memory as a warm, comforting feeling. Opposite of memory is reality, which is cold, cruel and unforgiving. In Wordsworth’s poem ...
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...ets her feelings out and expresses herself. With Elsa having ice powers while Anna is warm and friendly, the idea works in this way as well. So therefore, until the sun stops shining or the mere memory of coldness fades from all thought, this idea will be continually used by writers of all forms of literature. Now that is the sign of a powerful symbol indeed.
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In “What lips my lips have kissed, and where, and why?” Edna St. Vincent Millay says that “the summer sang in me” meaning that she was once as bright and lively as the warm summer months. In the winter everyone wants to bundle up and be lazy, but when summer comes along the sunshine tends to take away the limits that the cold once had on us. She uses the metaphor of summer to express the freedom she once felt in her youth, and the winter in contrast to the dull meaningless life she has now. There are many poets that feel a connection with the changing of seasons. In “Odes to the West Wind” Percy Bysshe Shelley describes his hopes and his expectations for the seasons to inspire the world.
Each literary work portrays something different, leaving a unique impression on all who read that piece of writing. Some poems or stories make one feel happy, while others are more solemn. This has very much to do with what the author is talking about in his or her writing, leaving a bit of their heart and soul in the work. F. Scott Fitzgerald, when writing The Great Gatsby, wrote about the real world, yet he didn’t paint a rosy picture for the reader. The same can be said about T.S. Eliot, whose poem “The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock,” presents his interpretation of hell. Both pieces of writing have many similarities, but the most similar of them all is the tone of each one.
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Many writers use powerful words to portray powerful messages. Whether a writer’s choice of diction is cheerful, bitter, or in Robert Hayden’s case in his poem “Those Winter Sundays,” dismal and painful, it is the diction that formulates the tone of the piece. It is the diction which Hayden so properly places that allows us to read the poem and picture the cold tension of his foster home, and envision the barren home where his poem’s inspiration comes from. Hayden’s tumultuous childhood, along with the unorthodox relationships with his biological parents and foster parents help him to create the strong diction that permeates the dismal tone of “Those Winter Sundays.” Hayden’s ability to both overcome his tribulations and generate enough courage
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Poetry is a form of written word which has experience created by sound and meaning. It integrates various elements: Imagery; a figurative language which prompts the reader as well as the listener of the poem to create mental images. Poetic choice of words; this is based on the sound that is, denotation and connotation. Denotation refers to the accurate meaning of the word while connotation refers to the intended meaning of a word. The sound is another element of poetry which about the rhyme; words that sound similar or exactly alike in the poem. It employs metaphor which expresses something new and meaning way by way of comparison on unlike things. The theme as the main element is the purpose of the poem. Poetry is tied as an art because of
Poetry unlike fiction is solely based on the author’s personal take on a certain subject. The tone, diction, syntax, and mood of a poem are all determined by the author of the poem. For some readers, to interpret a poem or explain the plot can be a difficult task. Other forms of literature such, as fiction is much easier to understand and discuss.