Margarita Suso
English 126
“The Colonel” by Carolyn Forche is an emotional response to a political situation which works by emphasizing a poetic form rather than a journalistic approach. The use of a prose poem allows the freedom of expression and leaves the reader to discover a richer substance. The descriptive use of detailed imagery lets the reader understand and truly discover the political message. “Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley conveys the feeling that acquired wealth and possessions don’t deliver immortality. Through usage of vivid imagery and irony, in both poems the poets explain that, similarly to the possessions they gather and own nothing lasts forever. “The Colonel” is one of the most famous poems of Carolyn Forche. At the beginning of the piece, the poet draws our attention through a combination of facts and poetic language. She briefly describes the humdrum details of the Colonel’s life. In short, factual statements she states, “What you have heard is true. I was in his home” (Forche 1). The poet reveals her unique manner of …show more content…
The poet's description of Ozymandias refers him nothing more than an arrogant king. His word, for example, “king of kings” reflects his overconfidence, hubris and arrogant characteristics. On the other hand, the verity is that Ozymandias works are only its ruins in the terminal. Although initial the poet talks about the king, but eventually she demonstrates that her poem is not just about him, but likewise about his deeds. In the poem, the poet portrays that nothing is everlasting. The king Ozymondias has created many works, for instance, his own big statue. Ozymendias states his works are eternal, and there are no other deeds greater than his deeds. The poet states, “Nothing beside remains. Round the decay” (line 12). The word “remains” shows that once there was a kingdom there, but now the kingdom is