Handwritten Reunion
An Analysis of Tess Gallagher’s “Under Stars”
“Under Stars” seems lifeless at first glance; however there's more than meets the eye since Tess Gallagher buries the deeper meanings under ambiguous words and lines to create a dramatic effect when the poem is broken down through diction and other literary devices.
“Under Stars”, the title alone, automatically paints an image of a dark night with clear skies with an air of despair and desire in the reader's mind. Tess Gallagher cleverly sets up the poem as a story, in which both perspectives of the characters are shown. As the title suggests, the poem is about the hope two friends have to rekindle their weakened friendship by sending each other letters in the mail. The first two stanzas are dedicated to the narrator who describes him sending the letter. The narrator decides to place the letter in their mailbox on an ominous, wet night, creating a feeling of optimism and hopefulness. The poet uses the phrase, "I have walked coatless from the house"(2), as a symbol to illustrate the vulnerability and anxiety the narrator had. From the first to second stanza, the tone gently rises from melancholy to hopefulness which stays prevalent and strengthens throughout the …show more content…
By using these lines, “Tonight they have not moved/ from childhood, those games played after dark.”(19-20), the poet's intention is to allude to the fact that the two friends are rejoicing and reminiscing about their past experiences. Next, Tess Gallagher bolsters the feelings of acceptance and remembrance by adding, “Again I walk into the wet grass/ toward the starry voices. Again, I/ am the found one, intimate, returned” (21-22) This line creates a dramatic image that indicates an uplifting end. The fourth stanza is where the sense of hopefulness develops into a successful and joyful
An Analysis of Tess Gallagher’s “Under Stars”
“Under Stars” seems lifeless at first glance; however there's more than meets the eye since Tess Gallagher buries the deeper meanings under ambiguous words and lines to create a dramatic effect when the poem is broken down through diction and other literary devices.
“Under Stars”, the title alone, automatically paints an image of a dark night with clear skies with an air of despair and desire in the reader's mind. Tess Gallagher cleverly sets up the poem as a story, in which both perspectives of the characters are shown. As the title suggests, the poem is about the hope two friends have to rekindle their weakened friendship by sending each other letters in the mail. The first two stanzas are dedicated to the narrator who describes him sending the letter. The narrator decides to place the letter in their mailbox on an ominous, wet night, creating a feeling of optimism and hopefulness. The poet uses the phrase, "I have walked coatless from the house"(2), as a symbol to illustrate the vulnerability and anxiety the narrator had. From the first to second stanza, the tone gently rises from melancholy to hopefulness which stays prevalent and strengthens throughout the …show more content…
By using these lines, “Tonight they have not moved/ from childhood, those games played after dark.”(19-20), the poet's intention is to allude to the fact that the two friends are rejoicing and reminiscing about their past experiences. Next, Tess Gallagher bolsters the feelings of acceptance and remembrance by adding, “Again I walk into the wet grass/ toward the starry voices. Again, I/ am the found one, intimate, returned” (21-22) This line creates a dramatic image that indicates an uplifting end. The fourth stanza is where the sense of hopefulness develops into a successful and joyful