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Poetic Devices In 'Gouge, Adze, Rasp, Hammer'

1199 Words5 Pages

Poetry is one of the most creative ways used to convey an author’s inner feelings. Poetic devices are used to hone poets’ poetic language and to intensify the feelings conveyed. They are intended to give the reader a deeper meaning to the words of the poem and to give the reader something to consider as they read the poem. Mood is also an essential aspect of poetry. Some poetic devices, such as connotation, affect the mood drastically. Connotation, specifically, is the use of secondary meanings of words. The use of connotation allows Mac Hammond in “Thanksgiving”, David Young in “Poem for Adlai Stevenson and Yellow Jackets” , and Chris Forhan in “Gouge, Adze, Rasp, Hammer” to create an effective mood and theme. This is an idea which is complicated …show more content…

The poem is mainly about how when one loses their love, they fall into a depression, but little by little, the small things in life are noticed and are admired for what they are. The poem starts off as a dreary and gloomy piece. Setting tone with lines such as “and one is disappointed that the body and mind continue to exist” (1). This does not have a deep connotation as most lines involving connotation have, but still gives off a interpretation of death that is not stated outright. As the poem progresses, the mood grows to a slightly more relaxed and even cheery tone. The line “It is now one makes a show of praise for the lilac that strains so hard to win” has a connotation that suggests that when the speaker’s life goes down the small things are noticed and bring him up (2). The connotation also suggests that the speaker may feel as the lilacs do, straining and longing for the attention they lost. The theme is clearly shown by the change in mood as the most prominent theme is again, coming of age. The speaker realizes that the lost love was not all. That there are other things in life that are beautiful and amazing. The poems use of connotation supported and cleaned up the mood and theme

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