Poetic Techniques

 There are many poetic techniques or devices that can be used to make writing more effective, interesting, lyrical and powerful or to add emphasis. Some of the most common ones are Language, alliteration, assonance, consonance, onomatopoeia, metaphor, and simile.

 Alliteration is the repetition of a letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words. Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds within a sentence or phrase. For example, “The seething sea ceaseth and thus the seething. Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds. Onomatopoeia is the use of words that imitate the sound they represent. A metaphor is a comparison between two things that are not alike.


1. Language.

a. Diction.

    Diction is a choice of individual words  and expressions. That is appropriateness, valid, relevant and deliberate.

i) Denotative: This is the choice of words that maintain their dictionary meaning.

ii) Connotative: This is the choice of words that have derived/extended or hidden meaning. The poem, 'Piano and Drums.' is full of connotative meaning in almost every line of it. The use of connotative language in poem hides the true meaning of a poem and presents to us the surface meaning in plain text. it does not mean the hide meaning is hard to discern, no. This brings a whole new meaning to a poem when you finally discover what its. This new realisation, is a eureka moment for every reader. Below is a table analysis

some of the lines in the poem. I have divided it into signifier and signified.

Signifier

Signified.

Break of day at a riverside

(early morning)

 

Jungle drums telegraphing

 

 

 

 

 

Raw like bleeding flesh

Primal (first, fundamental)

Walking a simple path with no innovation.

Wailing piano

Solo speaking (performed by one person)

Concerto for an orchestra

 

Diminuendo (gradual decrease in loudness)

Counter point (a melody added as accompaniment to given melody and providing decoration or contrast to it)

Crescendo (a loud climax)

Labyrinth (a maze; the music is different to follow)

dagger point

lost in the meaning

wandering in the mystic rhythm

Culture-(rivers and wind-ring and water is life)

Culture has no end and it’s the people’s life.

Drum-way of communication

- Culture

- Common factor (unifier)

- African heritage

Telegraphing-sending message.

Fresh, uncontaminated.

Pollute free

Something very important to us.

Simple ways of life without any needs that call for creativity.

Western culture.

Capitalistic tendencies

Western ways

Western(ways/world new to Africans)

 

 

Complexities in western culture lead to infinite confusion

 

 

 

Dangerous point in thought or decision to make.

Failed to decide which culture is okay for me.



NB: Signifier is the meaning of the word or phrase in the poem and Signified is the implied meaning.

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