Poetry – Critical Essay
Relationships between two people can be one of the most dangerous but important human experiences in life. Poets explore relationships using their own developed ideas and styles. Michelle Williams in ‘Friendless’ conveys the abusive power of a man which conflicts with the utterly depressing relationship between a dying mother and son in ‘Mother in a Refugee’. Likewise to ‘Friendless’, ‘The Child Who Walks Backwards’ by Lorna Crozier is also about abuse and physical power. All the poets express their visions through the different ideas, circumstances and situations.
Every poem delivers different meanings, but examines a similar theme – relating to relationships, and depicts the abuse, suffering and power within. Michelle Williams in ‘Friendless’ discusses …show more content…
‘Trips in his room, cracks his skull, smacks his cheek’ were some of the examples of onomatopoeia used by the poet to create more powerful meanings and visions for the audience. Lorna also used similes ‘and plummet like a wounded bird’, in this case the simile was used to help the reader understand the underlying metaphor which was the wounded bird referring to the child. Alliteration in ‘or sits and stares at flames while sparks burn stars in his skin’, the words beginning with the letter S used by Crozier help her express and her visions, emphasising the child’s abuse.
Chinua Achebe in ‘Mother in a Refugee Camp’ used sensory imagery ‘odours of diarrhoea’ that depicts the smells of the camp which engages the reader and creates more emotions. Metaphors like ‘ghost-smile’ were used to signal death and helps the poet explain that the people are dying or near death. Chinua also used Similes ‘Like putting flowers on a tiny grave’ equates what is usually a daily routine for the mother into now being an act of grief and love for her child who
Relationships between two people can be one of the most dangerous but important human experiences in life. Poets explore relationships using their own developed ideas and styles. Michelle Williams in ‘Friendless’ conveys the abusive power of a man which conflicts with the utterly depressing relationship between a dying mother and son in ‘Mother in a Refugee’. Likewise to ‘Friendless’, ‘The Child Who Walks Backwards’ by Lorna Crozier is also about abuse and physical power. All the poets express their visions through the different ideas, circumstances and situations.
Every poem delivers different meanings, but examines a similar theme – relating to relationships, and depicts the abuse, suffering and power within. Michelle Williams in ‘Friendless’ discusses …show more content…
‘Trips in his room, cracks his skull, smacks his cheek’ were some of the examples of onomatopoeia used by the poet to create more powerful meanings and visions for the audience. Lorna also used similes ‘and plummet like a wounded bird’, in this case the simile was used to help the reader understand the underlying metaphor which was the wounded bird referring to the child. Alliteration in ‘or sits and stares at flames while sparks burn stars in his skin’, the words beginning with the letter S used by Crozier help her express and her visions, emphasising the child’s abuse.
Chinua Achebe in ‘Mother in a Refugee Camp’ used sensory imagery ‘odours of diarrhoea’ that depicts the smells of the camp which engages the reader and creates more emotions. Metaphors like ‘ghost-smile’ were used to signal death and helps the poet explain that the people are dying or near death. Chinua also used Similes ‘Like putting flowers on a tiny grave’ equates what is usually a daily routine for the mother into now being an act of grief and love for her child who