Bleakness In Winter Poetry

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I chose to study winter poetry because I often focus on the cold and harsh conditions, rather than the beauty present. These poems are excellent in making one see past the bleakness, and toward the magnificence of the dazzling light. The beginnings of both “Winter” and “The Winter’s Spring” mention the loneliness and coldness of winter. This helps the audience find common ground with the poet, since it is easier to see winter as ugly rather than beautiful. In “The Winter’s Spring”, “The winter comes; I walk alone” (1), asks the audience to follow as no one, but the author believes the in the beauty of winter. “I want no bird to sing” (2) sounds hostile and reclusive, and is reinforced as the author claims to keep his heart his own. Already, …show more content…

Instead, the following stanzas contrast with the first, and winter is compared to spring. Nature imagery, like “the foliage of the woods” (25) and a white dove’s caring wing are likened to winter. In the poem, the foliage covering the bare trees is the snow, as is the white dove’s wing gently covering everything. “The Winter’s Spring” also uses words that create a heavenly image, like the “Christmas rose” (also known as the Lenten rose), “white”, “piercing light”, “dazzled”, and “white dove” (7,16, 17,22). This contrasts with the audience’s initials views of a lonely and hostile winter, instead suggesting winter emulates the look of heaven. Likewise, the poem “Winter” starts with a violent mood, filled with negative connotations: “Clouded with snow/ The cold winds blow,/ and shrill on leafless bough/ The robin with its burning breast/ Alone sings now” (1-5). There is sensory and sound imagery of a cold snowstorm, and of a bird singing traumatically. …show more content…

“Winter” relies more heavily on imagery, the contrast is used throughout the poem, it is in the third person and there is no overall metaphor. By using descriptive adjectives, the author manipulates the audience into seeing a “leafless bough”, a “rayless sun” and a “sea of frozen foam” (3,6,14). The “cold winds” are felt, and the “shrill” (2,3) song is heard. The helps the author transition from a cold, violent mood to a warm, peaceful one. The first stanza has a harsh tone, and the second is neutral, with the image of a slow sunset, and the third is very warm, and serene. Warmth is present, when a fire is used as a metaphor for snow. The poem concludes with a peaceful image of the moon floating over a snow-covered field. Using these devices, the author enhances the audience’s understanding of his views of

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