This is one of Roethke's poems. I made the analysis when I was on my Fifth term of Undergraduate Degree of English Literature for Poetry assignment (Mrs. Eka's order). I love poem, not only reading and analyzing but also making. I was twice appointed to read Javanese Poetry (usually called Geguritan) and once to read Indonesian Poetry (Puisi). - No point to tell that
Talking about Poetry, there was something funny about one of my fellows who plagiarized my paper without asking permission. The above smiley is my face whenever I remember that ludicrous moment. Poor bloke.
The Waking By Theodore Roethke
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I feel my fate in what I cannot fear.
I learn by going where I have to go.
We think by feeling. What is there to know?
I hear my being dance from ear to ear.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
Of those so close beside me, which are you?
God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly
there,
And learn by going where I have to go.
Light takes the Tree; but who can tell us how?
The lowly worm climbs up a winding stair;
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
Great Nature has another thing to do
To you and me; so take the lively air,
And, lovely, learn by going where to go.
This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.
What falls away is always. And is near.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I learn by going where I have to go
a.
Intrinsic Elements
Roethke puts his own
view towards this life. He sees that living and death are so close. And that
the death is the purpose of the living. I wake to sleep can be assume as
the death is the final destination of the living. And take my waking slow can
be assumed that we should be careful to spend the time of living in the world.
This line I wake to sleep, and take my waking slowly however becomes the
main point of this poem because this line is repeated four times. The other
line that can be accepted as the point of this poem is I learn by going
where I have to go which can be assumed that we have to learn when
we have time to live. This line appears in the end of this poem to strengthen
the suggestion.
-
Structure
Even tough the last
stanza of this poem has different structure that it consists of four lines
whereas the others consist of three lines, this poem can be categorized as closed-structure
because the last line of this poem functions to strengthen the other line ; the
third line of the first stanza.
-
Rhyme
This well-structured
poem by Theodore Roethke has also well-structured rhyme. The first and the
third lines of each stanza have the same sound in the end of each. Meanwhile in
the last stanza, the first, third and the last lines have the same sound in the
end. So the rhyme of this poem is ABA, and the of the last stanza is ABAA
-
Theme
This poem describes Roethke's view toward this life. He portrays how to live in this living and how
to face the death as the purpose of this living. Both of living and death are
so close, so we have to live carefully and learning wherever we can obtain
knowledge.
-
Diction
Roethke uses some words
to represent natural life such as:
·
Tree : as the natural
component in the earth
·
Ground : as the place
where everything in this earth in
·
Great nature : as the
power of the living and the death
-
Symbol
· Wake symbolizes the
living. The time when humans can learn anything they should learn and take the
time carefully to face the death
·
Sleep symbolizes the
death. The purpose of human's living.
·
Ground symbolizes the
earth where humans walk and take the
time of their living.
·
Tree symbolizes the life.
As we know tree provides oxygen for human's breathing need
·
Great nature symbolizes the God. Who has powerful decision about human's fate and destiny
-
Figurative Language
·
Personification : Light
takes the Tree ; Great Nature has another thing to do
