Poetic Devices In Love Song: I And Thou

Sound and Sense After reading the two poems, “Love Poem” by John Frederick Nims, and “Love Song: I and Thou” by Alan Dugan, we are introduced to two very appealing poems that both effectively display a certain type of emotion, each unique to the respective poems. In both these poems, we can pinpoint certain poetic devices that were adeptly used throughout both poems in either the lack of or use of them. The two poetic devices that will be outlined in the essay include Allusion, where the two authors were both able to use references from two similar sources, and Rhyme, where the authors were capable of of incorporating the lack of or the extreme use of rhymes. By comparing these two poems, a conclusion will be grasped as to which poem was better executed. In comparing the two poems, one can notice how one poem, “Love Song: I

In parts of “Love Poem” where the author describes his love as “unpredictable” (Nims 2) and “clumsiest” (Nims 1), we don't see any clear signs of the author using any references. Instead, the author is using words and metaphors that clearly express how they feel about their loved one. The lack of allusions that the author chose to do really made the piece very personal to the author, since they are the only ones who really see that side of their loved one. On the other poem, “Love Song: I and Thou”, the author seems to have excessive use of references throughout in both their reference to Jesus at the cross, and the references the author makes through their ongoing metaphor. Near the end of the poem, the author mentions how they “can nail [their] left palm to the left-hand cross piece” (Dugan), obviously alluding to Jesus and His death on the cross. Here, the author explains – in a graphic way – how the rocky relationship him and his wife seem to have can be compared to Jesus' death on the cross – which is an extreme comparison. Through this allusion, the