Robert Frost's "The Oven Bird"

Text:

There is a singer everyone has heard,

Loud, a mid-summer and a mid-wood bird,

Who makes the solid tree trunks sound again.

He says that leaves are old and that for flowers

Mid-summer is to spring as one to ten.

He says the early petal-fall is past

When pear and cherry bloom went down in showers

On sunny days a moment overcast;

And comes that other fall we name the fall.

He says the highway dust is over all.

The bird would cease and be as other birds

But that he knows in singing not to sing.

The question that he frames in all but words

Is what to make of a diminished thing.

Initial Reaction:
Initially I recognize that "The Oven Bird" is about the change of seasons. The bird seems disappointed that summer is almost over and that fall follows, and then winter. He wonders where the time has gone and how much time remains to enjoy.

Paraphrasing:
Everyone has heard this singer,

A loud, summer bird

Who makes his sound echo within the trees.

He says that it is becoming fall and the flowers

Are becoming fewer as the seasons progress.

He says the leaves have begun to fall

The pear and cherry trees are done blossoming

The days become overcast;

And fall is coming

He says dust covers everything.

The birds would migrate away

But he wonders.

The query he has in his mind

Is what to think of the diminished thing.


SWIFTT:
Syntax/Word Choice:

"The Oven Bird" is a sonnet with irregular form, with a recognizable yet nonconventional rhyme scheme. It is written in iambic pentameter. Frost uses diction to contrast the seasons. He describes the spring and summer seasons with positive terms and imagery, by including singing birds, flowers, and colorful, blooming trees. On the other hand, he associates fall with old leaves, overcast days, and "highway dust" (10). Frost uses the phrase "He says" to begin several lines of the poem. This allows him to indirectly convey the bird's point of view instead of his own.

Imagery:

"The Oven Bird" evokes images within the mind of the reader. The audience can imagine a vocal bird, sitting atop a branch in the woods in a mid-summer setting. The bird notices the passing of the seasons: the pear and cherry trees have already bloomed, trees have begun to lose their leaves, and the days have received less and less sunlight.

Figurative Language:

The poem contains a simile in line 5: "Mid-summer is to spring as one to ten." He is using this analogy to note the contrast between the two seasons. Frost also uses figurative language through means of a contradiction in line 12 that the bird "knows in singing not to sing."

Tone:

As Frost (through the ovenbird's point of view) realizes the passing of time, he reflects upon his life with contemplation and despair over the "diminished thing(s)" of his past.

Theme:
The theme of the poem is to reflect on life. Life is short, and quickly passes. But instead of looking back on the past with despair, we should look to the future and make the best of the time we have left.

Conclusion:

In concurrence with my initial reaction to "The Oven Bird," the poem is a discussion of the progression of seasons, or, figuratively, the progression of life in its various stages. Youth is comparable to spring, whereas fall signals the approach of the final stages of life. At first I thought the poem looked conveyed a sense of remorse for "diminished thing(s)," but I now recognize that Frost is also trying to convince the reader to not fret about the past but to cherish the present and anticipate future years as well.

John Updike’s “Telephone Poles”

Text:
They have been with us a long time.
They will outlast the elms.
Our eyes, like the eyes of a savage sieving the trees
In his search for game,
Run through them. They blend along small-town streets
Like a race of giants that have faded into mere mythology.
Our eyes, washed clean of belief,
Lift incredulous to their fearsome crowns of bolts, trusses,

struts, nuts, insulators, and such
Barnacles as compose
These weathered encrustations of electrical debris¬
Each a Gorgon’s head, which, seized right,
Could stun us to stone.

Yet they are ours. We made them.
See here, where the cleats of linemen
Have roughened a second bark
Onto the bald trunk. And these spikes
Have been driven sideways at intervals handy for human legs.
The Nature of our construction is in every way
A better fit than the Nature it displaces
What other tree can you climb where the birds’ twitter,
Unscrambled, is English? True, their thin shade is negligible,
But then again there is not that tragic autumnal
Casting-off of leaves to outface annually.
These giants are more constant than evergreens
By being never green.

Initial Reaction:
Initially I recognize that “Telephone Poles,” obviously, discusses telephone poles, though Updike never directly addresses them as such. His constant use of pronouns is interesting. Updike discusses the history of telephone poles, as well as their function in society, and reflects on what they mean to him. On a broader spectrum, this poem is not merely about poles but it also reflects on human-environment interaction in general. I am unsure whether Updike admires mankind for its ingenuity in creating telephone poles or hates it for destroying nature.

Paraphrasing:
They have been here for a long time.

They will be here even after the other trees die.

Our eyes, like those of a person wildly scanning the trees

In search of animals to hunt,

Look through the trees. They blend in on streets in small towns

Like something mythical.

Our eyes, in disbelief,

Notice the intricate features atop the pole: bolts, trusses,

struts, nuts, insulators, etc.

That make up

These worn-down telephone poles—

Each pole is like a Gorgon’s head,

Capable of turning us to stone.

Yet they are a creation of man.

See, where workers' shoes

Have made indentations into the bark

Onto the bald, manipulated tree. And these metal spikes

Have been placed at the convenience of man.

Our construction of these poles is

More fitting than the trees they replaced

What other tree can you climb where the birds' noise

Interpreted, is English? Yes, they don't offer much shade.

But they don't experience that fall

Shedding of leaves to endure every year.

These poles are more constant than other trees

By not being trees.

SWIFTT:
Syntax/Word Choice:

"Telephone Poles" contains two stanzas of equal length--thirteen lines each. The first stanza describes telephone poles, while the second stanza describes the relationship between these poles and mankind. The poem does not appear to have rhyme. Many of the lines feature enjambment. Although Updike never refers to them as telephone poles, he uses several adjectives or phrases to describe them.

Imagery:

The poem provokes images of telephone poles, towering thin and tall over suburban streets, equipped with electrical parts at the top and metal spikes driven into the bald trunk.

Figurative Language:

There are several examples of figurative language in "Telephone Poles." Similes are present in lines 3 and 6: "like the eyes of a savage..." and "like a race of giants." Also, line 12 features (a metaphor and) an allusion to the Gorgons. Lines 21-22 present a rhetorical question to the audience.

Tone:

The tone seems to convey pride in mankind's creation, yet I suspect this "admiration for human ingenuity and advancement" is ironic. I believe the underlying tone is stern and disapproving of the way mankind has displaced nature.

Theme:
In man's attempt to improve nature, we have in fact destroyed it by displacing objects of natural beauty.

Conclusion:

After analyzing "Telephone Poles," Updike's purpose has become more clear to me. I believe he intended the poem to be ironic. Although he praises the poles for the entirety of the poem for their creation and usefulness, he is really spiteful towards the manmade objects. They have displaced trees (as well as habitats for birds) and have taken away some of the earth's natural beauty, making the scene dull and ugly. Updike indirectly suggests that we move away from this environmental degradation and instead embrace and preserve the beauty of nature.

William C. Berry's "On Reading Poems to a Senior Class at South High"

Text:
Before
I opened my mouth
I noticed them sitting there
as orderly as frozen fish
in a package.

Slowly water began to fill the room
though I did not notice it
till it reached
my ears
and then I heard the sounds
of fish in a aquarium
and I knew that though I had
tried to drown them
with my words
that they had only opened up
like gills for them
and let me in.
Together we swam around the room
like thirty tails whacking words
till the bell rang
puncturing
a hole in the door
where we all leaked out
They went to another class
I suppose and I home
where Queen Elizabeth
my cat met me
and licked my fins
till they were hands again.

Initial Reaction:
My initial reaction is that "On Reading Poems to a Senior Class at South High" is indeed a very strange poem. When taken literally, the poem is quite absurd, but I believe the poem is meant figuratively. The narrator thought he the students wouldn't understand the poetry he was reading to them. To his surprise, they absorbed his words and made a connection with the poetry. But then the bell rang, and they all went their separate ways.

Paraphrasing:
Before

I started speaking

I saw them seated there

as orderly and immobile as frozen fish

in a package.

Water began to fill the classroom

but I didn't notice the water

until it was up to

my ears

and then I heard

fish in an aquarium

and I knew that though I
expected to confuse them

with the poems

they opened up

like gills

and let me in

We read the poetry

together

until the class ended

opening

the door

and the students all left

They went to another class

and I went home

where

my cat was waiting for me

and licked me

and I came back to reality

SWIFTT:
Syntax/Word Choice:

"On Reading Poems to a Senior Class at South High" possesses no particular rhyme or meter. Each of the six stanzas contains one complete thought. Berry's diction is astonishingly simple. The prosaic words make the text easy to understand, making the figurative language painstakingly easy to decipher. He uses several words pertaining to fish.

Imagery:

The poem is packed with imagery. The readers can picture a classroom filled with water, with fish swimming around, circling the desks. They can visualize a hole punctured in the door and see the water leaking from the room.

Figurative Language:

If figurative language were water and this poem were a glass, it would be filled to the brim. Of course, the class does not literally turn into a school of fish and swim around; this is all figurative language. Berry is simply trying to say that the students paid great attention to his words and fully understood them. The whole class was engaged in the poetry.

Tone:

The tone is dull at first (as seen in the first stanza) but changes to surprise and excitement.

Theme:
Often we make assumptions or judgments about others, but people are unpredictable and often surprising.

Conclusion:

My initial understandings were, for the most part, correct. Berry expected the students to be unengaged in the poetry he read to them. He assumed they would not understand the material, or they would not care. However, his judgments were wrong: the students took in his every word. Together, they absorbed the material and thoroughly enjoyed it--until the class ended. Then, the students and the teacher continued on with their lives.

Stephen Crane’s “War Is Kind”

Text:
Do not weep, maiden, for war is kind,
Because your lover threw wild hands toward the sky
And the affrighted steed ran on alone,
Do not weep.
War is kind.

Hoarse, booming drums of the regiment,
Little souls who thirst for fight,
These men were born to drill and die.
The unexplained glory flies above them.
Great is the battle-god, great, and his kingdom--
A field where a thousand corpses lie.

Do not weep, babe, for war is kind.
Because your father tumbles in the yellow trenches,
Raged at his breast, gulped and died,
Do not weep.
War is kind.

Swift blazing flag of the regiment,
Eagle with crest of red and gold,
These men were born to drill and die.
Point for them the virtue of slaughter,
Make plain to them the excellence of killing
And a field where a thousand corpses lie.

Mother whose heart hung humble as a button
On the bright splendid shroud of your son,
Do not weep.
War is kind!


Initial Reaction:
The first thing I recognize about "War Is Kind" is the irony in the title. The poem discusses the death of soldiers and the effect this has on their loved ones--a topic which clearly does not portray any sort of kindness in war. War presents soldiers with brutal conditions and often results in a high death count, and I think Crane is trying to portray the message that we should avoid war.

Paraphrasing:
Do not cry, lady, for war is kind,

Because your lover put up his arms and died

And his horse continued on without him,
Do not cry.

War is kind.

Loud drums of the troops,

Men ready for the fight,

These men were raised to serve and to die.

The flag flies about their heads.

Powerful if the god of warrior, and his kingdom--

A battlefield covered in corpses.

Do not cry, girl, for war is kind.

Because your father was wounded in war,

Swallowed and died,

Do not cry.

War is kind.

Army flag,

An eagle with a red and gold crest,

These men were raised to serve and to die.

Prove to them the honor of death,

Explain to them how killing can be good

And a battlefield covered in corpses.

Mother whose heart was filled with sadness

Upon seeing her son under the cloth at his burial,

Do not cry.

War is kind!

SWIFTT:
Syntax/Word Choice:

"War Is Kind" contains four stanzas of varying lengths and meter. The first, third, and last stanzas are of similar structure; they address the loved ones of victims of war and tell them not to weep because "war is kind." The second and fourth stanzas similarly talk about the army as a whole and the result of battle--a field covered in the corpses of soldiers. Crane uses diction to appeal to the readers' senses. For example, "hoarse, booming drums of the regiment" allows the reader to almost hear the drums booming, loud, drawing nearer. "War Is Kind" also included numerous phrases containing imagery.

Imagery:

Crane explicitly describes the soldier's death in the first stanza in order to allow the reader to visualize the soldier in his final moment of life. Also, the reader can picture the "field where a thousand corpses lie" and the "swift blazing flag of the regiment, / Eagle with crest of red and gold," flying above (11, 17-18).

Figurative Language:

There are several examples of figurative language in "War Is Kind." Alliteration is evident in several lines of "War Is Kind" and is best displayed in lines 23-24: "Mother whose heart hung humble as a button / On the bright splendid shroud of your son."  A simile is present in the phrase "humble as a button," and repetition is common throughout the text. "Do not weep / War is kind" is repeated at the end of the first, third, and last stanzas, whereas the phrases "These men were born to drill and die" and "A field where a thousand corpses lie" are duplicated in the second and fourth stanzas.  Nevertheless, irony is the most important form of figurative language in "War Is Kind." The phrase "war is kind" is ironic because obviously, war is not at all kind, and Crane supports this assertion.

Tone:

The tone of "War Is Kind" is ironic. Although Crane says war is king, he describes the death of the soldiers, which he implies is for an "unexplained" cause, and uses words such as "slaughter" and "killing" to convey a sense of horror and violence (20, 21).

Theme:
The theme of "War Is Kind" is the violence of war and its affect on others.

Conclusion:

After analyzing "War Is Kind," I found my initial impression to be close to correct. In fact, Crane implies that wars--which are often unjust and fought for trivial causes--often end in a high death count, leaving the loved ones of those victims in despair. I still believe that Crane is against war and is using poetry to spread his anti-war ideals. 

W.H. Auden's "Musee des Beaux Arts"

Text:
About suffering they were never wrong,
The old Masters: how well they understood
Its human position: how it takes place
While someone else is eating or opening a window or just walking dully along;
How, when the aged are reverently, passionately waiting
For the miraculous birth, there always must be
Children who did not specially want it to happen, skating
On a pond at the edge of the wood:
They never forgot
That even the dreadful martyrdom must run its course
Anyhow in a corner, some untidy spot
Where the dogs go on with their doggy life and the torturer's horse
Scratches its innocent behind on a tree.

In Breughel's Icarus, for instance: how everything turns away
Quite leisurely from the disaster; the ploughman may
Have heard the splash, the forsaken cry,
But for him it was not an important failure; the sun shone
As it had to on the white legs disappearing into the green
Water, and the expensive delicate ship that must have seen
Something amazing, a boy falling out of the sky,
Had somewhere to get to and sailed calmly on.


Initial Reaction:
The poem is about different perspectives in the world. Many people are selfish and only recognize their perspective; they don’t realize, or particular care, that there are billions of people in the world, each of which has his or her own feelings and insight. Simultaneously, individuals are dealing with different circumstances. The last stanza describes Breughel’s Icarus, which I believe refers to man’s selfishness and ignorance of other people. The ploughman and the sailors saw the man drowning, but did not give him their attention nor their assistance.

Paraphrasing:
They were always right about human suffering,

The wise men: they truly understood

Its place in humanity: how it occurs

While someone else is preoccupied with another task;

How when the elderly are patiently awaiting

Their savior, there are

People who did not want it to happen, skating

On a frozen pond:

The wise men cannot forget

That suffering continues until its finished

In some place, somewhere

Where things continue their uninterrupted lives and the person responsible

Doesn’t notice the martyrdom

For example, in Breughel’s "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus": everything disregards

The disaster; the ploughman

Heard a man fall in the water and his plea for help,

But this was unimportant to the ploughman; the sun shone

On the legs of the man as he drowned,

And the sailor(s) that must have also noticed

The figure falling out of the sky and into the water

Were preoccupied with their own matters and casually sailed on.

SWIFTT:
Syntax/Word Choice:

Although the first three lines of "Musee des Beaux Arts" appear to have the same meter, the poem is largely unstructured and chaotic: there is no rhyme scheme and the lines, as well as the stanzas, vary in length from one another. Auden, in addition, uses inversion and parallelism in "Musee des Beaux Arts." Inversion is evident in the opening phrase, "About suffering they were never wrong, / The old Masters" (1-2), whereas line 4 contains parallel structure. In comparison to the works of other poets, Auden does not use many adjectives. The few adjectives included are mainly to emphasize the ignorance of the onlookers

Imagery:

Auden utilizes imagery in "Musee des Beaux Arts." The reader can visualize the old masters waiting, the children skating, and the dogs and horse going on with their simple lives. Additionally, the second stanza describes a famous painting by Breughel so that the reader can form an image of the work in his mind.

Figurative Language:

As for figurative language, there is an idiom--"run its course"--in line 10 of the poem. The poem contains no examples of metaphor, simile, or personification.

Tone:

The tone in "Musee des Beaux Arts" is casual, as shown by his prosaic speech. Auden adopts this conversational approach to the poem in order to lighten the mood of the poem and to perhaps make up for the fact that he is discussing a serious subject.

Theme:

Mankind is ignorant to the suffering of others.

Conclusion:

My thoughts on "Musee des Beaux Arts" are similar to my initial thoughts on the work. Though the work is prosaic and its tone is mostly conversational, it discusses very serious issues: suffering and ignorance. According to Auden, "the dreadful martyrdom must run its course" (10). Others either do not recognize this suffering or are uninterested. Out of selfishness or ignorance, people often look the other way and continue with their lives, as opposed to offering assistance or demonstrating any type of interest.

William Blake's "The Lamb"

Text:
Little Lamb, who made thee?

Dost thou know who made thee?

Gave thee life, and bid thee feed

By the stream and o'er the mead;

Gave thee clothing of delight,

Softest clothing, woolly, bright;

Gave thee such a tender voice,

Making all the vales rejoice?

Little Lamb, who made thee?

Dost thou know who made thee?

Little Lamb, I'll tell thee,

Little Lamb, I'll tell thee:

He is called by thy name,

For he calls himself a Lamb.

He is meek, and he is mild;

He became a little child.

I a child, and thou a lamb.

We are called by his name.

Little Lamb, God bless thee!

Little Lamb, God bless thee!

Initial Reaction:
Blake directly addresses the lamb, asking about its creator and provider. The lamb represents innocence and good on Earth. As shown by lines 13-18, Blake draws parallels between the lamb, the narrator, and God: the lamb and the narrator are both God's children and are connected with him. I also note that the poem is lighthearted and makes the reader feel bright and positive.

Paraphrasing:
Little lamb, who made you?
Do you know who created you?

Gave you life and fed you

By the home which he gave you;

Gave you a good life,

Soft, wooly clothing;

Gave you gentleness and good,

Making the world happy?

Little lamb, who made you?
Do you know who created you?

Little lamb, I will tell you,

Little lamb, I will tell you:

He is called by your name,

He also is a lamb.

He is shy and gentle;

He became a child.

I'm a child, and I'm a lamb.

We are God's creations.

Little lamb, God bless you!

Little lamb, God bless you!

SWIFTT:
Syntax/Word Choice: The poem is composed of two stanzas, each containing five couplets, and is written in trochaic trimeter. By using words with positive connotations, such as “delight,” “bright,” “tender,” “rejoice,” “meek,” and “mild,” Blake uses diction to imply that the lamb is a serene, gentle, and innocent animal. 

Imagery: The first stanza of “The Lamb” is rich with imagery. The reader can picture the delightful little “by the stream and o’er the mead” with sun shining on its soft, “woolly, bright,” fur (4, 6).

Figurative Language: Blake uses apostrophe and repetition in "The Lamb." Apostrophe is first apparent in the very first line of the poem, "Little Lamb, who made thee?" The entire poem addresses the lamb, although it is incapable of responding. The phrases, "Dost thou know who made thee? " "Little Lamb, I'll tell thee," and "Little Lamb, God bless thee!" are each repeated twice in "The Lamb."

Tone:

The tone of the poem is joyous and peaceful. Blake accomplishes this by using positive imagery and words  such as "delight" and "rejoice." "The Lamb" can also be seen as childish and innocent.

Theme:
God has created good, in the form of a lamb, on Earth.

Conclusion:

Although obscured by soft, positive words, Blake is addressing a very serious question: Who created good--the innocent lamb? He then concludes that God built such a creature and therefore created goodness on Earth. "The Lamb" focuses on God's positive creations, whereas Blake's "The Tyger," a related poem, questions the creator's ability to form evil as well.

William Blake's "The Tyger"

Text:

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder, & what art.
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? & what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears,
And watered heaven with their tears,
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

Initial Reaction: The tiger is a dreadful and deadly that creates fear in the narrator. The narrator is questioning the evil of the tiger and who created this creature. The narrator wonders if the lamb, a more innocent animal, was created by the same hand. He questions the “immortal” creator—I believe he is questioning God—and his reasons for creating such a creature as the tiger, capable of such destruction.

Paraphrasing:

Tiger! Tiger! Illuminated
In the darkness
What god or creator
Would make such a fearful creature?

In what place
Did you feel such malice?
What was the reason for this creation?
Who dared to handle the fiery creature?

And what creator
Could create sure a beast
And when the tiger came to life
What havoc did it wreak?

How could you continue?
What were you thinking?
What the anvil? what malevolence
Will the tiger commit?

When the world was angry
And sad as well,
Was he proud of this tiger?
Was it the same god who made the innocent lamb?

Tiger! Tiger! Illuminated
In the darkness  
What god or creator
Dared to make such a fearful creature?

SWIFTT:
Syntax/Word Choice: “The Tyger” is composed of six stanzas, each containing four lines, and is written with an aabb rhyme scheme. Many of the sentences are of similar form—interrogative—as Blake asks several rhetorical questions. Also, the first and last stanzas are almost identical, with the exception of a single word, which emphasizes this text and at the end forces the reader to reevaluate these words after reading the rest of the poem. Blake uses words such as “fearful,” “dread,” and “deadly” to portray to the reader that the creature is a beast capable of destruction.
Imagery: Blake uses descriptive words to incorporate imagery into “The Tyger.” For example, describing the creature as “burning bright / in the forests of the night” provokes an image of a tiger literally glowing in a dark, wooded setting (1-2). This description makes the tiger stand out to the reader and allows them to see it as an unearthly figure. The statement “burnt fire in thine eyes” makes the reader visualize the immortal creator as such and allows the reader to grasp the emotion and disposition of this god (6).
Figurative Language: “The Tyger” contains figurative language including subtle alliteration, as well as personification. Alliteration is first apparent in the first stanza, in lines 1 and 4: “Tyger! Tyger! Burning bright” and “frame thy fearful symmetry.” Blake utilizes personification when states, “the stars threw down their spears, / And watered heaven with their tears” (17-18).
Tone: The tone of this poem is inquisitive and accusing, with a touch of dismay towards this creation whose hand formed both good and evil on Earth.
Theme: The theme of “The Tyger” is creation and the ability of divine figure to create evil.

Conclusion: My initial thoughts on “The Tyger” were close to correct. Blake notes the evil in the world, symbolized by the fearful “tyger,” and wonders who created this evil presence. He continues to ask more specific questions about creation, concerning the creator’s thoughts and ability to form such a sinful object. How could he also create the innocent lamb? “The Tyger” from Blake’s “Songs of Experience,” when considered with “The Lamb” in “Songs of Innocence,” talks about the nature of good and evil.

Margaret Atwood's "Siren Song"

Text:
This is the one song everyone
would like to learn: the song
that is irresistible:

the song that forces men
to leap overboard in squadrons
even though they see beached skulls

the song nobody knows
because anyone who had heard it
is dead, and the others can’t remember.

Shall I tell you the secret
and if I do, will you get me
out of this bird suit?

I don’t enjoy it here
squatting on this island
looking picturesque and mythical

with these two feathery maniacs,
I don’t enjoy singing
this trio, fatal and valuable.

I will tell the secret to you,
to you, only to you.
Come closer. This song

is a cry for help: Help me!
Only you, only you can,
you are unique

at last. Alas
it is a boring song
but it works every time.


Initial Reaction: My initial reaction is that this poem provokes strange and unusual images, comparable to nightmares or grotesque dreams. The narrator appears to be a mythical, bird-like creature, and she is calling out to the reader, presumably a male, to save her. In return, she will share a song with the man: a song that is unknown and perhaps "fatal" (18). It seems the birdwoman is mischievous and deceptive, and as there are several ill-boding indicators in the poem, I assume the song has some danger attached to it. The poem is quite ominous, but I am not quite sure of the narrator's motive or of the impact the song may have on the unsuspecting man.


Paraphrasing:
This is a song everyone

wants to know: the song

that is impossible to resist:

the song that makes mean

abandon ship

although they see washed up skulls on the beach

the song no one knows

because those who heard it

are dead or cannot remember.

Shall I share the song with you

and if I do, will you help me

out of this bird suit?

I don't enjoy it here

upon this island

looking striking and mythical

with these two crazy feathered creatures,

I don't enjoy singing

with them, our song deadly and valuable

I will tell you the secret,

only to you.

Come closer. This song

is a cry for assistance: Help me!
You are the only one who can help me

You are special

at last. Sadly

the song bores me
but it works every time.

SWIFTT:
Syntax/Word Choice: "Siren Song" contains nine three-lined stanzas which bear no rhyme scheme. The first three stanzas are in third person, and it is not until the fourth stanza that the narrator speaks from first person point of view. As the poem progresses, the lines become shorter and choppier, resulting in an increased pace and urgency of the poem. Atwood's diction is chosen primarily to make the narrator and her companions seem mystical and bird-like in order to allude to the three Sirens from Greek mythology. The narrator is supposedly stuck in a "bird suit," "squatting on this island / looking picturesque and mythical / with these two feathery maniacs" (12, 14-16). Atwood utilizes particular words to add a negative connotation to the song: It "forces" men to jump off the side of their ships, even though they see "beached skulls" (4, 6). Those who heard the song were "dead" or can't remember (9). The song is referred to as "fatal and valuable," and it "works every time" (18, 27).

 Imagery: Lines 4-6 provokes images of men, entranced by the Siren's song, abandoning their ships, while lines 14-16 allow the reader to visualize the Sirens perched on the island, singing their enticing, dangerous song.
Figurative Language: There are no examples of figurative language in "Siren Song."
Tone: The tone of the poem is enticing and pleading. The Siren is trying to convince the man to "come closer," to answer her plea for help (21). She appeals to the man's curiosity by stating the song is a secret, and she allures him by making him feel unique: "Only you, only you can, you are unique" (23-24).
Theme: The theme of "Siren Song" is deception and appeal. By using tactics of enticement and exploiting man's curiosity, the Sirens convince men to hear their song, which, in most cases, leads to their death.


Conclusion: My initial thoughts were close to correct. The narrator is, in fact, trying to trick the man into hearing her song, which will result in his death. When analyzing the poem, I discovered the Sirens' motive: they deceive and murder men for their own amusement. The song has become boring to them, but the enticement and manipulation make it fun.