“It sounds like a simple thing, to say what you see” Mark Doty writes in the opening lines of his book The Art of Description, in which he explores examples of descriptive technique in poetry through analysis of varying pieces; eventually, he reaches some concrete conclusions and valuable lessons on what effective description is and how it functions.
In the first chapter, “World into Word,” Doty conceptualizes what often frustrates many writers, including myself: the difficulty of capturing what the eyes see – gorgeous vistas, a friend’s smile, or a display of fireworks off a pier in Cherry Grove, New York – within the limited scope of written language. In somewhat of an ironic twist, Doty’s writing in this introductory chapter perfectly encapsulates
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In his discussion, Doty focuses on the experience of description; Bishop’s writing piles on images of an enormous fish she caught, comparing it to peeling wallpaper and the human body. Doty praises the poem as “a carefully rendered model of an engaged mind at work,” and states one of the overarching truths of the piece– that instead of making concrete, unquestionable observations, Bishop shows that “each descriptive act is one attempt to render the world, subject to revision.” Doty then connects his analysis of “The Fish” to greater lessons on creating effective description and on poetry itself. For example, he discusses the value of “self-forgetful concentration” in writing, particularly in writing of-the-moment lyrical poems such as “The Fish.” He also points out the value of creating echoes of sound in writing – they cause the reader to enunciate the words, bringing physicality into the experience of the poem – as well as playing with time (such as in the structure of the piece and the verb tense used). Doty’s examination of Bishop’s work is not only enjoyable to read, but provides insights into how to create effective description; instead of dryly laying out a list of rules on how to put perception into description, he shows the reader through examples and analysis. In a way, he “shows” rather than
of images and details about the fish, making it into not only a poem with a purpose, but
Good poetry provides meaningful commentary. One indication of a poem’s success in this is the depth of thought the reader has as a result of the poem. The poems I anthologized may take different
Just as the surroundings would seem different through color slides, he asks the readers to see the world from diverse viewpoints while reading and writing poems. Moreover, by listening to the poem’s hive, dropping a mouse, and walking inside its room, Collins encourages readers to discover the concealed depth of poetry. He comments that the readers should enjoy the poem in a way they would like to water ski.... ... middle of paper ... ...
Throughout the first half of the poem, Bishop describes the fish as an inanimate object, as reflected in her comparisons, which uses objects to describe the fish as shown when she says, “Here and there his brown skin hung in strips like ancient wallpaper…”. (9-11) She chooses a wallpaper to describe the skin of the fish in order to accurately portray its battered and worn state; her decision to compare the fish to an inorganic ...
The poems “Sea Rose” by H.D and “Vague Poem” by Elizabeth Bishop were both written by two women who took over the Victorian era. H.D’s works of writing were best known as experimental reflecting the themes of feminism and modernism from 1911-1961. While Bishop’s works possessed themes of longing to belong and grief. Both poems use imagery, which helps to make the poem more concrete for the reader. Using imagery helps to paint a picture with specific images, so we can understand it better and analyze it more. The poems “Sea Rose” and “Vague Poem” both use the metaphor of a rose to represent something that can harm you, even though it has beauty.
A poem without any complications can force an author to say more with much less. Although that may sound quite cliché, it rings true when one examines “The Fish” by Elizabeth Bishop. Elizabeth’s Bishop’s poem is on an exceedingly straightforward topic about the act of catching a fish. However, her ability to utilize thematic elements such as figurative language, imagery and tone allows for “The Fish” to be about something greater. These three elements weave themselves together to create a work of art that goes beyond its simple subject.
In fact, the fish story has become a metaphor reflecting the technique used by Finney for expressing the difficult thing beautifully, to compress a poem choosing what should be kept in a poem and what should be thrown away (Finney, “Interview with: Nikky Finney”), to express whatever difficult feelings she has without much noise or rage. Finney sees activism as a basic part of her work.
Behind this form of allusion there is also examples of vivid image that make the poems come to live. Right away, in the first sentences I can picture the speaker performing
He uses powerful imagery and onomatopoeia to achieve the desired effects that make the poem more realistic. All this combined together produces effective thought provoking ideas and with each read, I gradually get an improved understanding and appreciation of the poem.
...ictures for the reader. The similar use of personification in “Snapping Beans” by Lisa Parker and the use of diction and imagery in “Nighttime Fires” by Regina Barreca support how the use of different poetic devices aid in imagery. The contrasting tones of “Song” by John Donne and “Love Poem” by John Frederick Nims show how even though the poems have opposite tones of each other, that doesn’t mean the amount of imagery changes.
In poems, imagery is used to help get the writers’ message across in a language that is extremely visual. The poet wants
describing is simply a dream in what you want to achieve in life. And in the poem the dreams of the
Elizabeth Bishop's use of imagery and diction in "The Fish" is meant to support the themes of observation and the deceptive nature of surface appearance. Throughout the course of the poem these themes lead the narrator to the important realization that aging (as represented by the fish) is not a negative process, and allows for a reverie for all life. Imagery and diction are the cornerstone methods implemented by Bishop in the symbolic nature of this poem.
With fewer than fifty published poems Elizabeth Bishop is not one of the most prominent poets of our time. She is however well known for her use of imagery and her ability to convey the narrator?s emotions to the reader. In her vividly visual poem 'The Fish', the reader is exposed to a story wherein the use of language not only draws the reader into the story but causes the images to transcend the written work. In the poem, Bishop makes use of numerous literary devices such as similes, adjectives, and descriptive language. All of these devices culminate in the reader experiencing a precise and detailed mental image of the poem's setting and happenings.
Imagery is a primary literary technique a poet uses to capture the readers or listeners senses. We gain comprehension of the world through the use of our sense. Therefore, how the reader perceives a poem is always the most important aspect every poet considers whilst writhing. The images of a poem have the ability to appeal of each of our senses, taste, smell, touch, hearing and sight can all be heightened by certain aspects of poetry. The imagery of a poem has the ability to transport us into a different place or time, allowing the reader to experience new observations. When used correctly, imagery has the ability to form an understanding of different emotions the poet tries to address through their poetry. The sounds and diction incorporated into a piece also plays a role of major importance. The use of similes, metaphors, alliteration, personification and countless other forms of literary techniques, all add a sensual feeling and experience to poetry in an assortment of ways. In the Odes of John Keats we are witness to an extensive use of literary techniques. Keats uses a variety of approaches in order to evoke the world of senses throughout his poetry. His Odes ‘on Indolence’ and ‘to Psyche’, ’a Nightingale’, ‘To Autumn’ and ‘Ode on Melancholy’ all demonstrate Keats amazing ability to arouse the senses of his readers with his diverse and vast use of literary and poetic techniques.