Literary Devices in Poetry

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer introduces, discusses and analyzes the poems "The Courage that my Mother Had" by Edna St. Vincent Millay and "The Funeral" by Gordon Parks. Specifically, the writer discusses the literary devices the poets use to help the reader understand the subject of death and dying. The writer explains that poetry is full of effective literary devices such as simile, metaphor, rhyme, and meter that help create vivid pictures in the poem and help the reader identify with the words. The writer points out that these two works graphically illustrate the pain of losing a loved one with their use of poetic devices and raw emotions.

From the Paper:

"In contrast, Parks does not worry about rhyme; he simply uses meter and the rhythm of the words to convey meaning and emotion. Millay speaks about her mother throughout the poem, but Parks only uses three lines to show his father has passed away. Millay openly admires her mother, while it seems there was tension underneath the surface between Parks and his father. He seems to be watching events from the outside looking in, giving the illusion of emotional detachment, while Millay is clearly distraught and overcome by the loss of her mother. By using personification indirectly, Parks likens his father to a giant, while Millay prefers to instead concentrate on her mother's mental qualities and strengths. By looking at the many poetic devices in these two poems, it becomes clear that each poet can use the same device very differently to create memorable and vastly differing poems."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Millay, Edna St. Vincent. "The Courage That my Mother Had."
• Parks, Gordon. "The Funeral."

More papers on Literary Devices in Poetry:

• Analytical Essay # 89905 : "Elements of Poetry in Three Works"
• Analytical Essay # 26469 : "Sisters in Literature"
• Analytical Essay # 53831 : "Nostalgia in Romantic Poetry"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: