Comparative Poetry Analysis
Paige Hodgson Hour 2
Introduction
Sometimes we think that a poem is what's on the page, but sometimes we have to think deeper. Tone and word choice, figurative language, and structure and form are all in the poems "Problems with Hurricanes" and "Prayer to the Pacific".
Tone and Word Choice
The poem "Problems with Hurricanes" has a respectful tone about the power of the storm and the damage it can do. Lines 25-35 say that you shouldn't worry about the noise, water, or wind you should watch out for mangoes and such beautiful things. Stanza 2-4 have some humor because the author says that having your family tell other generations that you were killed by a flying banana, a mango smashing your skull, or a plantation hitting your temple at 70 miles per hour. He uses words like ultimate disgrace, while adding the humor lightens up the poem from all the respectful tone. "Pray to the Pacific" has a very respectful tone. The author has it so that someone is talking to the ocean like it's a person in lines 12-14 which would then make it seem like its prayer, hence the name. When you write with such a respectful tone and correct spacing makes it sound like its a prayer.
Figurative Language
The poem "Problems with Hurricanes" is a metaphor for the dangers of life and about how the little things can be dangerous like in stanza 1. In "Prayer to the Pacific" has personification in lines 10, 11-14, 22, and 31 which makes the ocean seem like a person so that we respect it and take care of it. In line 5 there's a simile which says "Big as the myth of origin." which means that the ocean is as big as all the myths out there about how it was created.
Structure and Form
The poem "Problems with Hurricanes" is free verse and uneven stanzas. Lines 13,19 are only one word lines. All the stanzas have long and short lines, none of the lines are even lengths. With the lines being spaced like that it you stop and start, it also adds some rhythm to the poem."Prayer to the Pacific" is a free verve poem with long and short lines that don't make up any stanzas. The whole poem is shaped like a wave to go with the ocean and has very random spacing between lines. The spacing between words makes you pause like you would when you are saying a prayer, in lines 8, 20, 22, and 25
Conclusion
Tone and word choice, figurative language, and structure and form are all parts of author's style which help us understand the overall theme and message of poem. "Problems with Hurricanes" is about watching out for the innocent things because they may be dangerous. "Prayer to the Pacific" talks about respecting and taking care of our oceans and nature. Author's style can change a poem in many ways, depending on how they space their lines, what type of tone they use, and the figurative language used could make a poem sad and slow or happy and smooth.