Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Oxford" is a poem by Fanny Howe, first published in her collection "The Needle's Eye" in 1992. The poem explores the speaker's experiences in the city of Oxford, England, where she observes the landscapes and people around her.

Explanation:

The poem opens with the speaker describing the landscape of Oxford, observing the natural world and its relationship to the man-made structures of the city. The speaker notes the abundance of foliage, trees and flowers that create a sense of wildness in the midst of civilization.

The poem then shifts to the speaker's observations of the people in Oxford, describing them as being "like animals in the brush, wary and still." The speaker reflects on the ways in which people are able to blend into their surroundings, becoming a part of the landscape in the same way that plants and trees do.

As the poem progresses, the speaker reflects on her own experiences in the city, describing a sense of detachment and loneliness that she feels. She speaks of wandering the streets alone, feeling as though she is "a ghost with only the air for a house."

Ultimately, the poem is a meditation on the human relationship to the natural world and the ways in which we are both a part of it and separate from it.

Poetic Elements:

• Form: Free verse
• Theme: Nature, urban life, loneliness, detachment
• Imagery: The natural world, cityscapes, animals, ghosts
• Tone: Contemplative, reflective, melancholic
• Sound: Repetition, alliteration
• Language: Simple and straightforward
• Figurative Language: Metaphor, personification
• Structure: Three stanzas of varying length
• Symbolism: The natural world, ghosts, animals
• Emotion: Loneliness, detachment

Conclusion:

"Oxford" is a thoughtful and reflective poem that explores the relationship between nature and urban life. Through vivid imagery and a contemplative tone, the poem invites readers to consider their own place in the world and the ways in which we are both a part of and separate from the natural world around us.

Poem Snippet:

"The city is full of plant life,

bushes, trees, flowers—

a wildness that cannot be tamed.

People are like animals in the brush,

wary and still."

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