Area 51 at night and Area 51 by Joe Rosochacki are both small poems that are written about an imaginary place. To date, it is unclear who the author for ‘Area 51 at night was. Although the two poems address the same issue, the diction employed and the manner that the authors choose their words is different. The two poems share a lot of similarities as well as differences. Analyzing the two poems, one gets the idea that they were intended for. One is written in a simple language which is appealing, free-flowing and enjoyable. On the other hand, the other is written in a tricky and difficult language which is politically motivated. The two poems also use various poetic devices. This paper gives a detailed analysis of how the two poems compare and contrast. It also gives a literary analysis of the two poems.
How they use poetic devices
In poetry, most poets use different poetic devices to achieve different goals. Some literal styles make the poem enjoyable. Some make the poem memorable. Others make a poem flowery. In the two poems; Area 51 and Area 51 at night, poetic devices are employed differently. When analyzing them, one gets to understand how the two authors employ rhyme. Rhyme is a poetic device where the author uses words that sound similar to achieve his intended purpose. It brings about rhythm. In most cases, authors use words with similar endings at the end of sentences to ensure there is a pattern. It can be regular or irregular and serves the function of making the poem memorable and enjoyable. Area 51 (whose author is unknown) employs the regular rhyme scheme. This means the words at the end of sentences sound similar. Line one and line two end with words such as ‘ship and trip’. Subsequently, other words include ‘may and stay’, dry and high’ ‘place and base’ among others. Joe Rosochaki’s poem does not employ this device.
Atmosphere, theme, and diction
Atmosphere refers to the mood of the poem. This is the feeling that one gets while reading the poem. Theme refers to the poem's subject matter (what the poem is talking about). Diction refers to the manner that poets choose their words. All these devices have been employed differently in the poem, safe for the theme. As for theme, the two poems address an imaginary place many people believe holds secrets. Rosochacki begins his poems by the words: ‘Area 51 did not exist almost 51 years ago’. From this, we get to understand his point about the argument. Area 51 at night also addresses a similar issue. A poem’s atmosphere is shaped by the poet’s diction and choice of words. Although these two poems are enjoyable to read, Rosochacki chooses difficult words which make it difficult to understand. Area 51 at night, on the other hand, uses cheap language. The choice of words dictates the possible audiences. This implies that Rosochacki’s poem was addressed to adults while Area 51 at night was addressed to the youth and young people.
Persona
In poetry, persona refers to the ‘I’ in the poem. This is the narrator/the person giving an account of the events that took place. In the two poems, the personas differ. In Rosochacki’s poem, the persona comes out as an old person arguing against the perception of the existence of Area 51. In the other poem, the persona comes out as a young person who is lamenting his experience in the ride. Through understanding who the persona is, one gets to deeply understand the poem.
Works Cited
"Area 51 Poem and Picture." Area 51 Poem and Picture. Web. 27 Nov. 2014. <http://home.earthlink.net/~oguuc/area51pic.html>.
POEM: AREA 51 BY JOE ROSOCHACKI. "POEM: AREA 51 BY JOE ROSOCHACKI." Poemhunter.com. Web. 27 Nov. 2014. <http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/area-51-2/>.
