Rock-It Poetry

1. Emily Wells February 12-14, 2014 Rock-It Poetry

2. Diction:The diction is very euphonious. Words such as “yellow,” “fair,” “grassy,” and “sigh” flow and do not sound harsh when being read. The diction is simple and concrete yet descriptive; the reader can easily understand the words themselves. “Because it was grassy and wanted wear” shows the description of the second road. The diction overall is more positive than negative despite the speaker’s dilemma choosing which road to take. The Road Not TakenRobert Frost

3. Imagery: There is clearly strong imagery in this poem. The speaker uses descriptive words to portray the “yellow wood” and the second “grassy” road. There is also metaphor in the poem. “In leaves no step had trodden black” suggests that the poem takes place in the fall. Metaphorically, the fall would be in the decline of the speaker’s life.

4. Details: The author’s inclusion of details such as “And sorry I could not travel both,” “And looked down one as far as I could,” “Then took the other, just as fair,” and “I doubted if I should ever come back” shows the apprehension of making a decision knowing that life is uncertain. It is obvious that the author/speaker are consciously weighing their decisions carefully.

5. Language: “Two roads diverged” is figurative, suggesting that instead of a literal road, the roads are two choices the speaker must make a decision about. The language can also be considered symbolic, as the roads are a symbol of choices and uncertainty in life.

6. Sentence Structure: The long sentences represent the long, well-thought-out decision the speaker is having to make. The sentences are interrogative, almost like the reader is asking himself a question about which road to go down. The dash used in “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - /I took the one less traveled by” show hesitation in the speaker’s thoughts about the decision he made. The rhyme scheme is ABAAB, creating a simple pattern for the reader to follow.

7. Diction: The diction is simple and easy to understand. There are two obvious opposite words: “fire” and “ice.” The connotation of the poem is negative, for the words represent destruction. The connotation of “fire” is “desire” and the connotation of “ice” is “hate.” “Fire and Ice”Robert Frost

8. Imagery: The images of fire and ice are vivid. Alliteration as well as repetition is present with “some say” at the beginning of the first two lines. Fire and ice are both symbols. “Fire” is a symbol of love and desire and “ice” is a symbol of hatred. “From what I’ve tasted of desire…who favor fire” “I think I know enough of hate…ice/is also great” An image of destruction is very obvious throughout the poem.

9. Details: The author includes details about the power fire and ice both have when it comes to destroying everything in their paths. The details suggest that the speaker/author has experienced with both love and hate, therefore being able to say that both have the power of destruction. “Some say the world will end in fire,/some say in ice.”

10. Language: The language is very ordinary, almost conversational. It is also symbolic, with fire symbolizing desire and ice symbolizing hate. There is paradox in the poem as well. Overall, the poem suggests that fire and ice are the same, which is true and false. Both have qualities of destruction even though they are completely opposite extremes.

11. Sentence Structure: The rhyme scheme of the poem gives it a playful feeling. “fire” “desire” – “ice” “twice” The sentences are short and quick, giving the reader an idea of how quickly fire/love and ice/hate can destroy everything.

12. Diction: The words are very old-fashioned. “My tippet,” “The cornice,” “strove” Despite the talk of “Death,” the diction is quite euphonious. “We slowly drove – He knew no haste” Because I could not stop for deathEmily Dickinson

13. Imagery: The most prominent image is that of death. The poem as a whole could be a metaphor for love/dating – death being the man pursuing a woman. “He kindly stopped for me-” The carriage is a metaphor for the slow pace at which humans embrace death. There are many symbols in the poem, including the “setting sun,” symbolizing the moments before death, or the moments before darkness and cold. “We paused before a House” the House symbolizes the final resting place of the deceased.

14. Details: The author is not afraid of death and the speaker is dead. “Since then – ‘tis centuries – and yet/Feels shorter than the Day…” The author welcomes Death as a part of life, almost as casually as one would go on a date.

15. Language: The language is very symbolic. “The Carriage” represents the vehicle of death, the “Setting Sun” represents the moments before death, and the “House” symbolizes the final resting place. The language is also detached, especially when the reader realizes the speaker is dead. The speaker is remembering her death and remembering riding along with Death. She is not present, but rather observing as Death continues his “courting.”

16. Sentence Structure: Many of the words that are capitalized are symbols, such as “Setting Sun,” “House,” and “The Carriage.” The shift occurs in the last stanza when the reader discovers that the speaker is dead. “Since then – ‘tis Centuries-” The use of dash allows the speaker to continue one long thought about death and the stops she and Death made on their journey.