Winter Fear Poem

In the poem Winter Fear, Kay Ryan depicts nature as “cruel” and “unforgiving”. She uses realism to convey the theme, “ self reflection can lead you to discoveries about yourself”. Kay Ryan also uses synecdoches and symbolism as tools to support the theme and translate the real connotation of the poem. In the beginning of “ Winter Fear”, the speaker begins to question the unraveling of her life with questions, “ Is this winter or is it worse/Is this the year/ when outer damp obscures a deeper curse/ that springs can’t fix”. I think the reader is using synecdoches to convey her true state in her life. Others believe “winter” is a symbol for contemplation and a time of reflection & Spring as a time of renewal. These symbolic meaning of the Season can also connect to what I think the author is trying to show. For example, I think the speaker is dwelling with heartbreak she is looking for the route of the problem, hence her asking herself if she is forsaken by a high power, “ Is this the year/when outer damp obscures a deeper curse”. The speakers introspection has led her to write off her renewal and blossoming as those do during Spring because there

Ryan uses “clouds” to symbolize despair and “blue skies” symbolize happiness because when there is all blue skies it usually a sunny day. I think what the speaker is trying to convey is that the the despair won’t go away and is covering her chance at happiness. This shows realism because the author is conveying nature as harsh because the clouds(despair) are the only thing keeping the speaker away from the blue skies (happiness).I believe this is also showing them while giving optimistic connotation because once the speaker reflects on herself and fixes her inner demons and “the clouds” disperse they have “blue skies” of happiness awaiting