Poetry Anthology

Friday, April, 29th, 2016

Yass Hatahet
790191
Mrs. Hamilton

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ENG1D8 - B

Introduction
In the following assignment, a total of four poems were requested to be
included and critically analyzed. Three of these poems have been composed by
myself and one has been written by George Ella Lyon. The poems must reflect upon
the main topical focus of these assignment which happens to be identity. There are
many different aspects identity is composed of, however the poems tend to look
more into the various ways identity is perceived as. The first poem follows a sonnet
structure and covers the idea of judgments impact towards identity. The main
source of judgment was perceived to be from society in general. This poem utilizes
the three literary devices diction, personification, as well as simile to effectively
deliver the message the author is conveying. The second poem, following the
limerick form of writing shifts our thoughts into a different perspective. Despite
mentioning judgments impact on identity, in this poem I took a step further and
mentioned the fact that identity was just a human thought. A fear in todays society.
It may simply be our paranoid acts that lead us to fearing our own true identities as
individuals and that perhaps it is nobody who is judging but us. In order to
showcase and emphasize this theme, the use of personification and diction were
integrated. The third poem was an inspirational piece composed by myself. It was
inspired by George Ella Lyons Where Im from. This poem yet again takes another
shift in perspectives. We now begin to discuss what aspects define our identity as
individuals. The things that have impacted us and defined who we are. Both poems

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had the same theme of aspects that make up identity. The literary devices imagery,
repetition, and diction can be found in both the published and the inspired piece.
These significant devices are responsible for successfully delivering the message to
the reader. In conclusion, all poems in this assignment simply take a different and
unique perspective on what identity really means and not just what society portrays
it as.

Sonnet
People inhabit a society
Where one is glorified for their torment
Assumptions leave me with anxiety
But doubt leaves me with a full mind unspent

A place where one hopes to live with success

Is brought down by the abhorrence of man
The graves excavated with much suppress
As judgment is laid out like battle plans

A rough environment begins to shape

Just as we commence to identify
It is hard for judgment to be escaped

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Thus proceed life, a call to simplify

I persist that bigotry will abide

In society it remains alive

Analysis of Sonet
In this following Sonnet, the literary devices diction, personification, and
simile were utilized to create a form of comprehensive literature that the reader will
be able to grasp and acknowledge from. Diction refers to the choice and use of
words an author has made to further emphasize the theme of judgments impact
on identity in the poem. For instance, the line The graves excavated with much
suppress can be interpreted in various ways to enhance the understanding when
looking at the form and structure of the sentence. In our case, diction is used to
highlight the thought of graves which in turn is related to death. It can be viewed as
graves literally being dug up or excavated. This portrays the idea of death even
further as it symbolizes the burying of someone or something. Suppress is literally
defined as the preventment of an action. In the following line, it can simply refer to
the idea of pausing the excavation of graves. If the previous lines were read
carefully, we can slowly begin to identify to what the graves are being excavated
for. The idea of hope has been mentioned. It is stated that the hopes have been
brought down by the abhorrence of man, which can be reworded to a repulsive
feeling against these hopes due to judgement. Thus in our society, more graves are

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being dug up to sustain the fallen hopes and dreams of individuals who have been
judged by their surrounding. Personification is another method of shifting the
reader's thought and comprehension of the text. The following literary device uses
the concept of giving non-human objects human characteristics. This can be
spotted in the last line of the poem which states In society it remains alive. We
must acknowledge that from the previous lines, it is referred to as a certain flaw in
society as it remains in existence. As we previously mentioned, our theme happens
to revolve around the idea of judgement in society and its impact on identity. So the
flaw that perhaps remains in society would be perceived as judgment in our line.
Now we can clearly see that judgement is simply not a human being but a thought
or concept in our minds. So referring to a non-living thought as alive would be an
example of personification. What this does is allows the reader to grasp a better
idea regarding the impact and remains judgement has in our society. Rather than
saying judgement remains in society, referring to it with human characteristics
implies a larger and more impactful meaning behind it as it highlights its impact
and importance as a whole. A final literary device that has enhanced and improved
the comprehensive background of this text was a simile. This device utilizes like or
as to compare similar objects which creates an overall better image in the
reader's mind improving and building towards their understanding of the message
of the poem. The phrase As judgment is laid out like battle plans happens to be a
great use of a simile to pursue a message in a more unique yet clear manner. When
looking at this phrase, we can clearly notice that judgment and battle plans are
dissimilar object being compared using the word like. Judgment is being referred to
having the similar concept of battle plans. The purpose of these plans is to simply
attack and terminate the objective. In the case of our poem as well as the perceived

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message, judgment is simply seen to share the same concept. The aim of societys
judgment towards an individual's identity is referred to as a battle plan since it
terminates the dreams and identity these individuals hold within their roots. It
provides the same purpose. This allows and gives the reader a better look at how
judgment is impacting the idea of identity in our society. Overall, the use of the
following literary devices diction, personification, and simile created a better
understanding on comprehensive background for the reader to look within. This
gives the opportunity to view the rich meaning of these powerful words showing
the impact of judgement in our society on an individual's identity.

Limerick
Simple fear consumed a mans mind
Doubt has left his sight solely blind
A word of wisdom
Apprised his freedom
Identity is of mankind

Analysis of Limerick
In this following Limerick, the literary devices personification and diction,
were utilized to showcase the message of identity being a simple fear created by

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our own selves. These devices play a significant role in allowing the reader to clearly
getting a better understanding of the message and how the author views identity in
their perspective. Personification is an effective device used by poets to alter the
reader's thought process and comprehension of the text. The following literary
device uses the concept of giving non-human objects human characteristics. The
use of this device in the poem can be seen in the following line Simple fear
consumed a mans mind. One thing to note while reading this line is that fear
cannot consume anything, only humans have the ability to do so. Fear is just a
thought or feeling generated by our consciousness when threatened. Saying that
fear consumes a mans mind instead of using literal sense emphasizes the great
deal of impact fear has on the psychological states of a man in a more horrific
manner. Utilizing human characteristics showcases the impact of the word on the
statement which in our case happens to be fear and the mind of man. Diction
refers to the choice and use of words an author has made to further emphasize the
theme of this limerick which refers to identity being a simple fear created by our
own selves. This literary device is found in the following statement Identity is of
mankind which can be potentially interpreted in various ways depending on the
way the reader views the sentences wording and structure. In this line, diction is
used to highlight the theme of this poem which was how identity is a simple
thought process made by ourselves. Despite it having played various roles in
shaping our society whether it was negative or positive, it is still something that
does not physically exist. It is a thought that defines people into their each
individual selves creating uniqueness in our society. However, that uniqueness can

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sometimes be despised which is why the other poems discuss those topics. Lastly,
the inclusion of both these literary devices were capable of reshaping the meanings
behind simply and short phrases allowing the reader to take a part in this piece of
literature.

Inspired Poetry
Published Poem

Inspired Poem

Where Im from by George Ella Lyon

Where Im from by Yass

I am from clothespins,
from Clorox and carbon-tetrachloride.
I am from the dirt under the back porch.
(Black, glistening,
it tasted like beets.)

I am from crumbled thoughts,

from pencils and paper.
I am from the shadows overlaying my past.
(Deep, dark,
it felt like a ripple.)

I am from the forsythia bush

the Dutch elm
whose long-gone limbs I remember
as if they were my own.
I'm from fudge and eyeglasses,
from Imogene and Alafair.
I'm from the know-it-alls
and the pass-it-ons,
from Perk up! and Pipe down!
I'm from He restoreth my soul
with a cottonball lamb
and ten verses I can say myself.
I'm from Artemus and Billie's Branch,
fried corn and strong coffee.
From the finger my grandfather lost
to the auger,
the eye my father shut to keep his sight.
Under my bed was a dress box
spilling old pictures,
a sift of lost faces
to drift beneath my dreams.
I am from those moments-snapped before I budded -leaf-fall from the family tree.

I am from the bright roses

The tulips covering her backyard
Whose thorns ripped through skin
As if the scars were a reminder of something.
Im from pillows and coats,
from stop signs and pitches.
Im from the remembered
And the forgotten,
From Learn! And Embrace!
Im from a blossomed tree
With attached flowers of pink
And the beauty it beholds.
Im from mild summers and harsh winters,
droplets of rain and the shriek of the young
From the times that I have fallen
to the happiness,
the success life has lead me to.
Beneath my thoughts were roots to memories
the echoes of laughter,
an ocean of lost smiles
nowhere to be found beneath the surface.
I am of the connected threads-ripped apart forming consciousness -similar to past and present.

Analysis of Published Poem

In this following Freeverse Where Im from composed by George Ella Lyon ,
the literary devices imagery and repetition were utilized and combined to create
meaningful text with a rich and devine definition behind it. These literary devices
help surface the relation between an individual's identity and the aspects that
define them. Imagery can be spotted when the poet themselves utilize phrases and
language to create visuals in the reader's mind. This literary device specifically

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enhances the understanding of the poem as it supplies the reader with enough
detail to alter the consciousness and create images and feelings towards the
specific concept. This develops a deeper connection between the reader and the
text. This specific literary device is found nearly everywhere throughout a poem. A
great example of its effective use can be seen in the following phrase which states I
am from the dirt under the back porch. (Black, glistening, it tasted like beets.). With
the use of the descriptive language, the poem itself is capable of creating a tone
that allows the reader to view the reminiscences of the authors own personal life.
She describes where she is from using minor details such as the dirt under the back
porch. Despite this not giving us an exact location of where she is from, it gives the
reader the opportunity to use imagery and portray the location in their own
perspective depending on their understanding of the poem. Repetition is another
significant literary device that can be found mostly everywhere. This literary device
is utilized to emphasize a specific point by repeating the words or phrases several
times throughout. The phrases Im from as well as I am from can be seen
repeated by the author numerous times. Followed by each of these phrases are
different objects or people that are somehow related to where she is from in her
own perspective. With the use of heavy repetition, she highlights the idea of using
detail to describe the imagery of her location. This reminds the reader to pursue
the use of their imagination to achieve a better idea regarding the meaning of the
poem and its relation with identity. Finally, the use of both imagery and repetition
combined create an aesthetic tone for the reader to consume. It offers a better

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comprehensive background of the text as well as more visual understanding of the
message the author themselves was trying to deliver.

Analysis of Inspired Poem

In this following that was composed by myself and inspired by the poem
Where Im from written by George Ella Lyon, the literary devices imagery and
diction were utilized and combined to create a better atmosphere for the readers
to experience as they begin to grasp a better understanding of the message
regarding identity and the aspects that define it. Since this is an inspired poem, the
same basic format has been utilized meaning that it features repetition. However,
this will not be discussed since it was previously done in the original analysis.
Imagery is seen when the poet utilizes phrases as well as language to create visuals
in the reader's mind which help enhance the general understanding of the poem
and the message. This literary device offers the reader with enough detail to create
images using the power of the mind as well as develop deep and interesting
feelings towards the specific concept. This specific connection between the reader
and the text is required so that the reader will possess the ability to relate these
words with their own experiences. Imagery in this inspired poem can be found in
many stanzas and lines. A great example of its effective use can be seen in the
following phrases which state I am from the bright roses. The tulips covering her
backyard. Whose thorns ripped through skin. As if the scars were a reminder of
something.. With the use of the descriptive language, the poems message is
strengthened as the words have created a vivid and clear visual of the message that

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is wanted to be portrayed. The phrases describe the bright roses as well as their
sharp thorns allowing the readers to view the concept in the way the other sees it
themselves. This literary device gives the reader the opportunity to use imagery to
portray the location in their own perspective depending on their understanding of
the poem. Diction refers to the choice and use of words an author has made to
further emphasize the theme of identity and the aspects that define it in the poem.
For instance, the lines Beneath my thoughts were roots to memories. The echoes
of laughter, an ocean of lost smiles can be interpreted in various ways to enhance
the understanding when looking at the form and structure of the sentence. In the
case of these lines, diction is used to highlight the memories of laughter and smiles.
The way they are described in the poem emphasize how these memories are
simply echoes referring to them disappearing at a slow rate. An ocean of lost
smiles also is worded in a way to help the author visualize the catastrophe of this
idea. Since the ocean is usually related to something of a large mass. Thus, anything
lost within it is likely to never be found. This relates back to the lost memories of
these smiles. Despite the slow loss of these memories, it is mentioned that
Beneath my thoughts were roots to memories referring to the fact that everyday
decisions will be slightly influenced by these thoughts as they are the root of the
authors consciousness. In conclusion, with the use of both imagery and diction, it
can be clearly seen that it improves the way the message is perceived to the
readers. Rather than the phrases having literal meanings, these devices allow us to
explore different perspectives of these words that make poetry its own unique
aspect of language.

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References
Lyon, George Ella. "Where I'm From, a Poem by George Ella Lyon, Writer and
Teacher." Where I'm From, a Poem by George Ella Lyon, Writer and Teacher. N.p., 2016.
Web. 29 Apr. 2016. <http://www.georgeellalyon.com/where.html>.