Comparisonof Two Poems
Poemscan be compared according to various aspects that define them. Themost common ways of linking two poems can be according to the themesthe poets focused on or the stylistic devices employed such as rhyme,imagery, similes, symbolism, and metaphor. This paper compares twopoems namely Alms Giving by Mubarak Talib al-Mansuri and O My DesireYour Gusts Have Shaken Me by Fat al-Arab. These two poems can relatethrough the use of rhyme and imagery by their writers. These styleshave been impressively used to not only enhance the musical aspect ofthe written words but also to enforce the messages that the poetshave tried to express. The use of rhyme has been consistentthroughout the structures of these poems, and this has helped increating an allure to the readers by establishing a melodicorganization. Thus, any person that read these two poems felt theywere entertained through the ways that the lines ended. The use ofmetaphor impacted the key message to the readers and ensured that thethemes of these poems were not easy to forget (Leech, 2014).Therefore, looking at these two stylistic devices, the poems can becompared accordingly and associated with the common bond ofmethodology that the respective writers used to propagate theirmessage.
Thisessay attempts to analyze two poems based on their frequent use ofrhyme and metaphor to transmit their main themes. These two poems areAlms Giving by Mubarak Talib al-Mansuri found on page 146 and O MyDesire, and Your Gusts Have Shaken Me by Fatat al-Arab found on page102 of the same text.
AlmsGiving by Mubarak Talib al-Mansuri
Thispoem talks about one of the pillars that define Islamic religion.This practice is the giving of gifts to the poor that is doneannually. The proof comes from line 1 that says, ““You must givealms if you have wealth: Pay up, as you’re required to do.” Thisline in the poem clearly shows that devout Muslims are required toprovide sustenance to the poor regularly. The standard time is set ata year. The evidence comes from the fourth line that says, “Atyear’s end, this truth all will own: God’s watching how ourmoney’s spent.” This line tells the readers that the minimum timefor a religious person to take before providing alms to the poor wasa year. Thus, the poems call for anyone that believes in the Islamicteachings to maintain this central pillar.
OMy Desire, Your Gusts Have Shaken Me by Fatat al-Arab
Thepoetess in this piece mainly spoke about love. This love was directedto her potential husband. She expresses deep love for her betrothedin ways that the reader can feel the affection the writer has for herlover. The evidence comes from the seventh line that says, “My lovefor him is like a malady, He stole my heart as if a thief.” Thisline tells the reader the amount of love the poetess has for herfuture husband. This love is also enhanced from the statement on line5 that says, “His noble ranks above the Pleiades, The seventhheaven’s his domain.” The manner in which the persona considersher lover is clearly depicted by this line. By relating him to thePleiades, the writer only shows to what esteem she holds her lover.The reason is that the Pleiades are the farthest yet most beautifulstars in a clear night sky. These stars have been correlated throughmyths and legends to depict the most beautiful entities that haveever existed. Even with all these exaltations of her lover, thepoetess shows that she also considers herself highly. The proof comesfrom the sixth line that says, “And as for me, I’m no commodity,Bought and sold, a bride for gain.” This declaration tells thereader that in no way does the writer consider herself as a littleobject fit for marriage. She clearly states that she shouldn’t belooked upon as an item to be sold through marriage using thetraditional excuse of bride price. Thus, the poetess can beconsidered as an independent woman that broke free from the shacklesof religion and tradition.
Theuse of Rhyme in the Two Poems
Theextensive use of rhyme in the two poems is a vibrant sign of how thewriters were keen on entertaining the audience. There are numerousinstances of rhyme within these poems whereby lines in a verse endwith words that are pronounced similarly. In the first poem, AlmsGiving by Mubarak Talib al-Mansuri, the poet shows a consistentpattern of rhymes in the lines written. Evidence comes from the firstand second lines that say, “You must give alms if you have wealth:Pay up, as you’re required to do.” Moreover “They’re notdeductions made by stealth, But bounties for the poor – and you!”These two lines rhyme in two separate sections. The first half ofline one rhymes with the first half of line 2 with the words “wealth”and “stealth” respectively. The second sections of these twolines also rhyme with the words “do” and “you”. Anotheraspect of verse comes from lines five and six that have two differentsets of rhyming words. “Die” rhymes with “fly” and “trick”rhymes with “stick.” The second poem O My Desire, Your Gusts HaveShaken Me by Fatat al-Arab display a consistent use of rhyming wordsas well. The evidence is seen in the various lines found in the poem.The third and fourth lines show a set of rhyming words. These linesare, “This heart of mine’s a spacious storage chest, Full of lovethat’s locked inside” and “I have a friend, by gossip notoppressed He just ignores the chattering tide.” The words “inside”and “tide” rhyme showing proof of the use of this style withinthe poem. The comparison of these poems based on the application ofrhyme shows the intention that the writers had for their readers. Therhyming words create an allure of symphony and melody. Thus, as thereader goes through the poem, there is a form of a tune that iscreated making the experience of reading the poems enjoyable (Leech,2014).
Comparisonof the use of Metaphor in the Two Poems
Themetaphor has also been significantly applied in these two poems. Thecommon agenda the writers had in comparing objects within the poem toother things with different characteristics was only to enforce themessage the poets had for their readers. In the first poem, AlmsGiving, the poet has shown a significant application of metaphor. Anexample is the seventh line that states, “Money burns its coalswill flare, its fire consume men to their core.” The metaphor inthis line is seen when the poet compares money directly to the light.The intention was to show the devout Muslims how money could bedangerous. The second poem, O My Desire, Your Gusts Have Shaken Me,the poetess also uses metaphor severally within the poem. The bestexample is from line 5 that says, “His noble ranks above thePleiades, The seventh heaven’s his domain.” Here, the writerdirectly compares her lover to the brightest and most beautifulconstellation of stars in the night sky. The reason for thiscomparison was to show how much she adores, respects and values herlover. The use of metaphor in these two poems shows how they relatesince this stylistic device has achieved in creating more weightbehind the message in the poem (Leech, 2014).
Conclusion
Fromthe above discussion, it is seen that the comparison of the two poemswas fulfilled through evaluating the use of rhyme and metaphor. Itbecomes apparent that both poems used rhyme to bring about elementsof musicality within the poem and to ensure the words have a greaterimpact on the readers. The metaphor was used to enforce the messageby describing it in colorful ways that built a lasting image. Thus,these two stylistic devices showed how the poems relate.
Thiscomparison has shown me the importance of these two stylistic devicesand how they are used to not only transfer the message of the writeractually but also to entertain the audience and readers.
Stylisticdevices in poems play a crucial role in captivating readers and inthe comprehensive delivery of the poem’s theme. Thus, they arecritical for any poetry to achieve in reaching the audience.
Reference
Leech,G. N. (2014). Alinguistic guide to English poetry.Routledge.s