Literature
Literature
This is a ballad of the love between two people who never get the opportunity to actualize their relationship. Its theme is death both at a literal and symbolic level. Death is used as a metaphor of the demise of the stillborn romance between the soldier and Barbara Allen. The wall and the ringing death-bells epitomize the end of an unborn romance (Anon, 27).
“Ex-Basketball Player” by John Updike
This poem is describes a former basketball player who becomes a petty mechanic after the end of his career because he lacks other useful skills (Updike, 19). The theme of the poem is the vanity of success especially when it blinds a person to ignore the future. Updike uses the imagery of a garage to symbolize the frustration and makeshift life of the ex-basketball.
“Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes
This poem presents the counsel of a mother to a son urging the latter not to give up in life because of seemingly insurmountable challenges (Hughes, 14). The theme of the poem is resilience and perseverance in the face of challenges. To advance this theme, the poet uses the imagery of a tattered staircase which passes through dark alleys. Only by persevering and continuing to climb does one reach the top.
“Ballad of the Landlord” Langston Hughes
This poem is a confrontation between a landlord and a tenant in which the tenant threatens to beat up the landlord who asks for rent yet he does not repair houses (Hughes, 12). The theme of the poem is racial inequalities as epitomized by the dilapidated housing that black people live in. The decrepit housing is used as an imagery of the pathetic housing of black people vis-à-vis the rest of the society.
“Perfect Dress” by Marisa de los Santos
The poem describes a girl who perceives herself as a paragon of beauty and perfection. She describes her pursuit of the perfect dress which will come in handy on the perfect evening (de los Santos, 29). The theme of this poem is the quest for perfection and the efforts expended to attain it. To advance this theme, the poet utilizes the perfect dress as a metaphor of the perfection the persona desires.
“Beat! Beat! Drums!” by Walt Whitman
The persona in this poem calls upon drums (Whitman, 1) to play with such noise that they create disorder, confusion and death in all facets of human life. The main theme of the poem is war and its aftermath. The drum is used by the poet a symbol of the impending war and its sound epitomizes the effects of battle.
“Recuerdo” by Edna St. Vincent Millay
The poem is about two friends who have had a merry night moving back and forth on a ferry and carrying out different activities until morning. In the process they meet a poor woman selling newspapers, buy from her and give her their fruits and money. The main theme of the poem is the pursuit of happiness. The ferry is used as a symbol of the need to pursue all aspects of happiness which includes benevolence (Millay, 18)
“The Times They Are a-Changin” by Bob Dylan
The persona in this poem calls upon human beings to appreciate change and take measures to accept it because it is inevitable. He / she calls upon the general populace, writers, politicians and parents to take responsive action towards changing times. The poet uses flood water (Dylan, 3) and a door to indicate the overwhelming power of changing times and the need to have an open attitude towards change.
References
Dylan, B. “The Times They Are a-Changin” (p. 608)Anonymous. “Bonny Barbara Allen” (p.601)Updike, J. “Ex-Basketball Player” (p. 879–880)Hughes, L. “Mother to Son (p. 788)Hughes, L. “Ballad of the Landlord” (p. 791–792)de los Santos, M. “Perfect Dress (p. 835)Whitman, W. “Beat! Beat! Drums!” (p. 642)Milay, E. V. “Recuerdo” (p. 862–863)
