Theme 1: anti-war
I wish I could sleep
Through the war
By Jo Ann Sohl
I wish I could sleep through the war!
The pain is so constant, the anger so severe.
I just wish I could just sleep through the war.
My child, my baby, feels like he has been kidnapped from me.
He faces such dangers that none of us sees.
My cries, my pleas seem to get me nowhere.
I want to yell, “Bring Our Troops Home”
If only Mr. Bush hadn’t sent our troops there
If he only had a child serving
Then he would know our pain.
I wish I could just sleep through the war.
The days go by not a word I hear,
My heart is always in fear. A call or a knock
Could set off my tears.
I wish I could just sleep through the war!
Title analysis: we can predict from the title that the poem talks about war.
Poetic devices:
- · “My child, my baby, feels like he has been kidnapped from me”:simile
- · “A call or a knock could set off my tears”: Imagery
- · “I just wish I could just sleep through the war” Repetition
Tone: serious- angry-painful
Theme: the poet talks about the pain that the parents feels when their children are sent to war.
ANTHEM OF THE DOOMED YOUTH
By Wilfred Owen
What passing bells for these who die as cattle?
Only the monstrous anger of the guns.
Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle
Can patter out their hasty orisons.
No mockeries for them from prayers or bells,
Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,-
The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;
And bugles calling for them from sad shires.
What candles may be held to speed them all?
Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes
Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes.
The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;
Their flowers the tenderness of silent minds,
And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.
Title analysis: “Anthem for Doomed Youth”, we have to say that it is definitely ironic on using an oxymoron of “anthem”, which is associated with praise and triumph, with “doomed”, which means death.
Poetic devices:
- · “Anthem of the doomed youth”: oxymoron, the author uses two words that are contradictory.
- · “What passing bells for these who die as cattle” simile, a comparison between soldiers and cattles who die is showing how the soldiers are no more important than cattle which are slaughtered without feeling.
- · “Only the monstrous anger of the guns”
- · “Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle” Owen Wilfred is giving human traits to the guns of enemies to show
Theme: The author discusses death in war and shows that people who die in war do not receive normal ceremonies that honor the dead.
Tone: the author is angry and depressed.
Theme 2: Friendship
MAY OUR FRIENDSHIP
LAST FOREVER
By Nicholas Gordon
May our friendship last forever
May I sail upon your sea
May we go through life together
May there always be a "we."
May I be your endless sky;
May you breathe my gentle air.
May you never wonder why
Each time you look for me, I'm there
.
May we be for each a smile
Like the warm, life-giving sun;
Yet when we're in pain awhile,
May our suffering be one.
May we share our special days,
The happiness of one for two;
And if we must go separate ways,
Let my love remain with you.
Title analysis: we can see from the title that the poem will talk about friendship.
Poetic Devices:
- · “May I be your endless sky”: imagery
- · “May you breathe my gentle air”: imagery
- · “May we be for each a smile” imagery
- · “May we be for each a smile like the warm, life-giving sun”: simile
- · “May”: Repetition
Theme: This poem is about wishing a friendship would last forever. The author hopes to share his happiness and his pain with his friend throughout their life.
Tone: Friendly
A friend is like a flower
By Adrianne S
A friend is like a flower,
a rose to be exact,
Or maybe like a brand new gate
That never comes unlatched
A friend is like an owl
Both beautiful and wise
Or perhaps a friend is like a ghost
Whose spirit never dies
A friend is like a heart that goes
Strong until the end.
Where would we be in this world
if we didn't have a friend.
Title analysis: the title shows us that the poem will talk about friends.
Poetic devices:
- · “A friend is like a flower”: simile, the author compares a friend to a flower.
- · “A friend is like an owl”: simile the author compares a friend to an owl beautiful and wise.
- · “Or perhaps a friend is like a ghost”: simile
- · “A friend is like a heart that goes” : simile
Theme : the author is comparing the friend with different things to show us the qualities of a good friend.
Tone: friendly
Theme 3: Family
Daddy fell in the pond
By Alfred Noyes
Everyone grumbled. The sky was grey.
We had nothing to do and nothing to say.
We were nearing the end of a dismal day,
And there seemed to be nothing beyond,
THEN
Daddy fell into the pond!
And everyone's face grew merry and bright,
And Timothy danced for sheer delight.
"Give me the camera, quick, oh quick!
He's crawling out of the duckweed."
Click!
Then the gardener suddenly slapped his knee,
And doubled up, shaking silently,
And the ducks all quacked as if they were daft
And it sounded as if the old drake laughed.
O, there wasn't a thing that didn't respond
WHEN
Daddy fell into the pond!
Title analysis: After reading the title, it’s hard to understand the theme of the poem.
Poetic devices:
- “And everyone's face grew merry and bright”: Image
- “ Click ” Onomatopoeia
- “Quacked” Onomatopoeia
- “Daddy fell into the pond”: Repetition
Theme: The author tells a story of a fathers who falls in a pond.
Tone: funny.
Family I Love
By Kristina Riggs
Love my family with my hold heart.
My love is Joy to love my family
Family is sad and happy and love.
Family is fun and painful and pretty.
My family is like all families we have
Love and we have happiness and tears
I love my hold family
My family is like angels who fly in sky
I am grateful that I have family that loves me.
My family is kind and nice and fun to be around
My family is painful like all families are and
Heart breaking and Evil sometimes
My family is heart breaking and deadly like everyone else
Hey I can't stop loving my family not matter what it costs in the family.
Way my family is just makes me want have family
With someone be as good as they are.
But God know I love my family
And our love is great to have in life
And even know they leave the world they still
A live in my hearts.
Title analysis: we can understand from the title that the theme of the poem is about Family.
Poetic devices:
- · “Family is sad and happy”: Oxymoron
- "My family is like all families”: Simile
- · “My family is like angels who fly in sky”: Imagery
- · “Heart breaking”: Hyperbole
Theme : The author is describing his family and comparing it to other families.
Theme 4: The end of the world
Fire and Ice
By Robert Frost
Some say the world will end in fire
Some say in ice
From what I’ve tasted of desire
Hold with those who favor fire
But if it had to perish twice
I think I know enough of hate
To know that for destruction ice
Is also great
and would suffice
Title analysis: we can’t understand the them of the poem by reading the title.
Poetic devices
- · “some say”: Repetition:
- · “some say”: world will Alliteration:
Theme: the narrator discusses the end of the world by presenting two options ice and fire. Frost relates the two options to a relationship; he relates fire to emotions of desire and ice to hate. Desire and hate are emotions that people feel in relationships and both are so harmful and can end a relationship.
Tone: serious
Theme 5: Dreams
Dreams
By Langston Hughes
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.
Title analysis: we could predict from the title that the poem will talk about dreams.
Poetic devices:
· “ Hold fast to dreams” Imagery
· “Life is a broken-winged bird” Metaphor
· “Hold fast to dreams” Repetition
· “Life is a barren field” Metaphor
Tone: perseverance- to believe in your dreams
Theme: The author is trying to excite people to achieve their dreams.
