“The Wasps’ Nest” by James L. Rosenberg initially describes an unpleasant situation wherein the persona finds a nest of wasps in his mailbox. As the persona explores the tension in his relationship with the wasps, a disjointed, broken rhythm is conveyed through the uneven syntax of the poem and the line length. Rosenberg demonstrates the fundamental link between man and nature to which power becomes a dominant concern. Rosenberg uses the idea of the nest as a small-scale model of the human reality to explore the fragility of our existence in a world where we think ourselves the ruler of all. Additionally, Rosenberg juxtaposes strength and weakness through setting, onomatopoeic description, vivid imagery, and simple diction to express our internal
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The poet creates a contrast between the “metal hold” (5) of the mailbox and the wasps’ “insubstantial and...only home” (9) built “with paper and mud” (7). The “metal hold” seems to be a place of strength due to the fact that it is made of metal, something which seems impervious to harm, yet this setting of strength becomes one of weakness. As the nest is built of "paper and mud,” the reader knows that the wasps’ nest is fundamentally fragile since both mud and paper are easily manipulated. As a result, the strength of the "metal hold" is reduced; what seems so solid is actually "insubstantial.” The idea of weakness within strength becomes more explicit as Rosenberg refers to the wasps’ nest as the wasp’ "home" (9). A "home" has an implicit idea of strength as it is a place where the inhabitant is the master of their own universe. The word has an intangible power; yet this “power” is discredited since it is founded from "paper and mud". The wasps may be the master of its empire; but to humans, its empire is fundamentally weak. This sense of differing power in differing scales is reinforced when Rosenberg identifies himself with the wasps' situation, reflecting on his own vulnerabilities as he is a stranger "in an alien and gigantic universe" …show more content…
The word “citadel” conveys a sense of strength seeing as the definition of the word allows the reader to picture stone fortresses on high ground that dominate a city and the physical strength that the walls and stone have. However, the word “citadel” is preceded by the word “fragile” which is more appropriately used to describe a glass object seeing as it depicts an image of an easily broken or damaged object. The use of two contrasting words establishes the idea that even if they are located within a bastion of strength (the citadel) where people seem to be in control of their lives and destiny, they are still at their weakest. This idea is further reinforced as the poet describes the “fragile citadels” being part of the idea of “love,” which is perceived as something we should be in control of since it is directly related to our emotions. However, again there exists an irony since all readers know that the idea of love is a complicated and unpredictable
The poet creates a contrast between the “metal hold” (5) of the mailbox and the wasps’ “insubstantial and...only home” (9) built “with paper and mud” (7). The “metal hold” seems to be a place of strength due to the fact that it is made of metal, something which seems impervious to harm, yet this setting of strength becomes one of weakness. As the nest is built of "paper and mud,” the reader knows that the wasps’ nest is fundamentally fragile since both mud and paper are easily manipulated. As a result, the strength of the "metal hold" is reduced; what seems so solid is actually "insubstantial.” The idea of weakness within strength becomes more explicit as Rosenberg refers to the wasps’ nest as the wasp’ "home" (9). A "home" has an implicit idea of strength as it is a place where the inhabitant is the master of their own universe. The word has an intangible power; yet this “power” is discredited since it is founded from "paper and mud". The wasps may be the master of its empire; but to humans, its empire is fundamentally weak. This sense of differing power in differing scales is reinforced when Rosenberg identifies himself with the wasps' situation, reflecting on his own vulnerabilities as he is a stranger "in an alien and gigantic universe" …show more content…
The word “citadel” conveys a sense of strength seeing as the definition of the word allows the reader to picture stone fortresses on high ground that dominate a city and the physical strength that the walls and stone have. However, the word “citadel” is preceded by the word “fragile” which is more appropriately used to describe a glass object seeing as it depicts an image of an easily broken or damaged object. The use of two contrasting words establishes the idea that even if they are located within a bastion of strength (the citadel) where people seem to be in control of their lives and destiny, they are still at their weakest. This idea is further reinforced as the poet describes the “fragile citadels” being part of the idea of “love,” which is perceived as something we should be in control of since it is directly related to our emotions. However, again there exists an irony since all readers know that the idea of love is a complicated and unpredictable