Free Interpretation of a Single Poem Essay Sample
The poem “Of Rain and Air” by Wayne Dodd is an invented form of irregular free rhyme poem. It is a three stanza poem containing four lines with each line ending in different sound pattern. The lines in the poem contain syllables of irregular pattern in order to employ a particular meaning and demonstrate the intended purpose about rain in the air. The poet has attached himself to the poem in order for us to understand his point of view. The author through the poem gives a personal example to describe and demonstrate the nature of the night during a rainy period. By analyzing words in relation to other lines in the poem, people can understand the poet’s message about a dull day ending with a cool rainy night. He demonstrates a method to cope up with darkness beneath the clouds in a night with rain after a dull day.
The poem is a wonderful evocative piece of work and an example of enjambment used purposefully to create mood. Wayne Dodd a contemporary American poet uses simple language to demonstrate his feeling during a rainy night. From the first line, Dodd tells us of a dull day where he and his friends were speaking of non essential maters. He stayed in doors for the whole day but decided to go out during the night. He uses the line “myself a center of darkness” to prove that he was in a dark night.
In line two of the second stanza, the poet writes “beneath the clouds the low sky glows with scattered lights.”Here he describes the night from the perspective of a town dweller where despite darkness, there are street lights and household lights that light up the sky. The lighting is good since one can find his way easily through the darkness. The poet portrays disbelief that despite darkness the sky is lit. He is unable to believe how in the absence of daylight, there is much light in the darkness. The lighting is as a result of electricity in a modern town. The line “I can hardly think this is happening” explains that he still does not believe the process because he feels it is still unreal. Even though he sees the light, he fails to understand why the darkness cannot entirely engulf the night.
Language used in the poem is simple and concentrates on the atmospheric condition of the night. It draws its vocabulary from matter mainly dealing with air, rain and darkness. The poem has helped in plot development because it has brought out a vast explanation from a simple line of words which could have otherwise filled a small space. Its simple form also bears in it the major theme that the composer of the story wanted to pass across.
The poem attaches mood by highlighting boredom, darkness and light in a single package. He has used all the syllables to portray a particular meaning and has thus avoided using stringent pattern of syllables. His explanation about walking in the night rain, he says wakes an individual up and even soothes and quiets them from the day’s hustle and bustle. The poem is quit interesting because even though the reader might have not experienced a walk in a rainy night, the poet had a way of taking you there. This is possible through analysis of words in relation to other lines in the poem. We are able to feel and understand the poet’s message about a dull day ending with a cool rainy night. The poet is able to demonstrate a method to cope up with darkness beneath the clouds in a night with rain.