Arctic Rhododendrons Analysis

In the poem “Arctic Rhododendrons” by Al Purdy, colours and sounds, and the additional first person narration that the author includes in the conclusion, create an effective and powerful poem. Purdy employs colours and sounds frequently throughout this poem to create unique and striking pictures for the reader to consider. By bringing his own perspective into the poem, he takes a poem that could be read impersonally and turns it into something that the reader connects with. Through the use of created myth, Purdy constructs a passionate poem with his personalization and descriptions that contrast sharply to his poem “Trees at the Arctic Circle”. Purdy frequently uses colours and sounds throughout this poem to create unique and vivid images. Purdy describes colour and sound separately, but near the opening and closing of the poem he brings the two attributes together to create and impression of wholeness and symmetry. He relates the two in the lines “There are small purple surprises/ In the river’s white racket” (Purdy, 1 - 2). This creates a provoking image because it causes the reader to question what Purdy means by “white

In “Trees at the Arctic Circle,” Purdy discusses his opinion on the short trees that grow in the far north. He uses simpler language and creates meaning through direct adn forceful phrases like “I am angry to see them / like this / not proud of what they are” (Purdy, 9 - 11), whereas in “Arctic Rhododendrons,” he uses descriptive language to convey his point. I prefer “Arctic Rhododendrons” over “Trees at the Arctic Circle” because of its illustrative and very visual descriptions, as well as the personal addition at the closure. I appreciate “Trees at the Arctic Circle” for its statements and realizations towards the ending, but favour “Arctic Rhododendrons” for its subject matter and many uses of poetic