Comparative Poetry Analysis
Madelyn Connaughty Hour 2
Introduction
Any poem a poet writes is distinctly different from other poems that poets write because every poet has a different way of expressing their ideas, thoughts, and feelings. I am going to compare "Problems with Hurricanes," and Prayer to the Pacific." They both have similarities and differences in form, figurative language, and word choice.
Tone and Word Choice
In the poem 'Prayer to the Pacific" and 'Problems with Hurricanes," have differences and similarities in Tone and word choice. In "Prayer to the Pacific" and "Problems with Hurricanes," both poets show how they respect nature but, they show it in a different way. In "Problems with Hurricanes," the poet shows how they respect nature by adding some humor to their poem. In stanza two, it states, "How would your family feel if they had tell generations that you got killed by a flying banana." This poem has a happy but sad type of tone because the author added humor and he talked about death by actual thing you could die from in a storm to portray his respect for the nature. In "Prayer to the Pacific," the poet shows how she feels by having the poem be read in a prayer type of way. In lines 20,23,and 25, there are spaces for you to pause when you read it it then has a prayer type of rhythm to it. For Example line 20 it says "Great sea turtles waded slowly out." This gives it a pause to be more like a prayer.
Figurative Language
In the poems "Prayer to the Pacific" and "Problems with Hurricanes" the poets each have a different way of expressing their feelings and ideas by using figurative language. In the poem "Prayer to the Pacific" the author uses personification and similes to show her feelings and thoughts. In line 32, it sates, "Swallowing raindrops." This is giving the rain human characteristics so we can relate to how nature feels and looks. This creates a picture in your mind about how big the rain drops are. Also in line 5, it states a simile, "Big as the myth of origin." This lets you imagine the ocean and its history. In the poem "Problems with hurricanes the whole poem is set up as a metaphor comparing death by fruit and death by flying rocks. The metaphor makes the reader feel more cautious of the good and bad things in life not just the bad.
Form and Structure
Every poem has their own form and structure. In the poems "Problems with Hurricanes" and "Prayer to the Pacific" they have many things similar with their form and structure. They are both free verse poems and have uneven stanzas. Also in "Problems with hurricanes" there are one word lines, such as line 19 it just has the word "But." In Prayer to the Pacific," the poem has random line indents to make the poem look like waves. Also in "Prayer to the Pacific," it has random line spacing. For example, in line 8, it states " Sun floating west." This lets you read the poem in a prayer type of way by making you stop and read it slowly. In "Problems with Hurricanes," They have long lines then very short lines. In lines 1-3, it says,
"I traveled to the ocean
distant
from my southwest land of sandrock."
They have long word lines then short. "Problems with Hurricanes and "Prayer to the Pacific," both have similarities in form and structure.
"I traveled to the ocean
distant
from my southwest land of sandrock."
They have long word lines then short. "Problems with Hurricanes and "Prayer to the Pacific," both have similarities in form and structure.
Conclusion
Every poet has their own way of expressing their thoughts and feelings. In the poems "Problems with Hurricanes and "Prayer to the Pacific," the poets had their own way of expressing their ideas and feelings. In "Problems with Hurricanes," one way the poet showed his feelings and ideas is by having the whole poem be a metaphor . This gave you a comparison of death by fruit and death by something actually by the storm. In "Prayer to the Pacific," the poet showed her thoughts and feelings by letting you portray the poem in a prayer type of reading. It allowed you to relate to reading a prayer but in a different way. Each poet has a different way of portraying their ideas and feelings. I think the over all meaning of the poem "Problems with Hurricanes," is you have to look out for the good things not just the bad. Also, I think the overall meaning of "Prayer to the Pacific," is to make sure you take care of the ocean and nature as well as respect it too.