ANALYZING POEM “ THERE WAS A CHILD WENT FORTH”

ANALYZING POEM “ THERE WAS A CHILD WENT FORTH”

This poem tell us about the growth and development process of a child to adapt with his neighbourhood and himself.

IMAGERY

CONCRETE	ABSTRACT
Child	Wonder
Object	Pity
Lilac	Love
Grass	Dread
(Red) clover	(red morning)-glories
Phoebe-bird	noisy
Lambs
Sow’s (pink-faint) litter
Mare’s foal
Cow’s calf
Barnyard
Mire
Ponside
Fish
Liquid
Water-plants
(Flat) Heads

THE RELATION BETWEEN ABSTRACT AND CONCRETE IMAGES

In a poem, usually there is a relation between it’s abstract and abstract, concrete and concrete, or abstract and concete images.

Just like a usual, in the poem “ There was a Child Went Forth “ which we’ve analyzed, there are some relation between its images.

For example, in the first stanza, we found two concrete images which have a relation one another, “child” and “object”. Here, the child who went forth was trying to find an object he became. This object can be delivered to both abstract or concrete image. If the context is the child was looking for the real object, this object is classified as a concrete image.

But, if we talk about the second relation between object and some abstracts images like wonder, pity, love and dread. It is classified as an abstract image. Because the meaning of object here is some feelings which can’t be touched.

The third relation can be found at the second stanza. There are many concrete images here, like lylac, lambs, sow’s pink-faint litter, mare’s, foal and cow’s calf and also abstract images “ red morning-glories”. All of those images describe the beginning condition of life. “ this condition is similar to the child’s condition who is in growth and development process and we can see that t’s very relevant to its title “ there was a child went forth”

The Metaphor

Metaphor is the heart of poetry. Here are a few metaphores in the poem There was a Child Went Forth and in each of them a comparision is implied :

1.       1. Cycle of years

Here the years compared with a series. It would point out that it connote the a group of events which happen in a particular order, one following the other, and which are often repeated annually for a long time. The author wants the reader to know that the child passed a lot of events in their life in a long time.

2.       Song of phoebe-bird.

Here the phoebe bird is compared with a meladious tone that is produce by them. When we heard the chirp a phoebe bird, we will heard a melodious tone that can make our heart feel calm and refresh. The melodious tone here is usually called as a song.

3.       Brood of the barnyard.

Here the barnyard is compared with a group of bird that born at the same time and have a large amount. Here the barnyard is assummed as a large place that inside there are many noisy bird that make the barnyard looks crowded and shows us the farmland condition.