1942 We have tested and tasted too much, lover- Through a chink too wide there comes in no wonder. But here in the Advent-darkened room Where the dry black bread and the sugarless tea Of penance will charm back the luxury Of a child’s soul, we’ll return to Doom The knowledge we stole but could [...]
Posts Tagged ‘Patrick Kavanagh’
24 Mar
A Christmas Childhood Analysis
A Christmas Childhood (1940/43) Rhyme & Form: Two Parts. First Part: ABAB CDCD. Memory Poem. Tone: Emotional, Awestruck Imagery: Rural Life, Spiritual, Music Themes: Ordinary vs Extraordinary, Childhood Sense of Wonder, Beauty in Nature, Creative Vision (The Poet), Poetic Techniques: Onomatopoeia, Personification, Alliteration, Assonance Kavanagh is looking back on rural life but for once he [...]
24 Mar
A Christmas Childhood – Patrick Kavanagh
I One side of the potato-pits was white with frost— How wonderful that was, how wonderful! And when we put our ears to the paling-post The music that came out was magical. The light between the ricks of hay and straw Was a hole in Heaven’s gable. An apple tree With its December-glinting fruit we [...]
6 Sep
On Raglan Road – Patrick Kavanagh
1946 Rhyme & Form: Lyrical Ballad, rhyme scheme (aabb, ccdd, eeff, ggbb) Tone: Haunting, passionate, sad. It was written to a slow sad tune also. Imagery: Autumn Dublin streets Themes: Unrequited love, the Poet Literary Techniques: Assonance[1], Alliteration Note his stage in life, this stage being the protesting Dublin Poet. This is probably one of [...]
6 Sep
Epic – Patrick Kavanagh
Rhyme & Form: A sonnet formation with no break (akin to Shakespeare) Tone: Annoyed, frustrated yet content (at the end) Imagery: Nature, Ireland of old Themes: Loneliness, conflicts, frustrations, rural life Note his stage in life, this stage being the protesting Dublin Poet. The poem is primarily focussed on a dispute over a portion of [...]
6 Sep
Lines Written – Patrick Kavanagh
Lines Written On A Seat On The Grand Canal, Dublin ‘Erected to the memory of Mrs. Dermot O’Brien’ Rhyme & Form: A sonnet formation with no break (akin to Shakespeare) Tone: Euphoric Imagery: Nature Themes: Beauty in nature, Imagination, Celebration & Euphoria Literary Techniques: Apostrophe (similar to that of Advent) Note his stage in life, [...]
5 Sep
Advent Analysis – Patrick Kavanagh
Rhyme & Form: The poem is divided cleverly into two sonnets. Originally there was a break in line 21 giving us 4 separate stanzas (four weeks of Advent). There is also an easy rhyme scheme to spot. More so in the second part as the first four lines all have the same rhyme. Tone: Warm [...]
5 Sep
Canal Bank Walk – Patrick Kavanagh
Rhyme & Form: Sonnet structure. Tone: Warm and grateful. Imagery: Nature: Canal. Themes: Childhood (sense of wonder), Beauty in nature, Imaginative Talent. Literary Techniques: Alliteration, Apostrophe, Metaphor Note his stage in life, this stage being the reconciled, celebrating Dublin poet. Kavanagh’s convalescence throughout the summer of 1955 led him to an appreciation of Dublin’s Grand [...]
5 Sep
Shancoduff – Patrick Kavanagh
Rhyme & Form: two five-line stanzas and a concluding six-line stanza. (can in some way be related to a sonnet. Tone: Initially dark and sad, yet picks up through stanza 1 Imagery: Rural Life, Mountains, Nature Themes: Commonplace beauty in nature, Rural Life (loneliness/frustration) Note his stage in life, this stage being the protesting peasant [...]
5 Sep
Inniskeen Road – Patrick Kavanagh
Rhyme: Sonnet formation with rhyme scheme of [a-b-a-b-c-d-c-d-b-d-b-d-e-e] note the first 8 lines and then the 6 lines of summarisation or final contemplation with the final rhyming couplet. Tone: ordinary, everyday speech Imagery: Rural Life Themes: Rural Life (loneliness/frustration) [plight], Imagination & creative vision Poetic Techniques: Alliteration: noted in the first lines with the repetition [...]
Damien Gallagher
