Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | ||||||||
"Elizabeth" is a poem by Michael Ondaatje, first published in his 1998 collection of poetry, "Handwriting." The poem is named after Elizabeth Smart, a Canadian poet and novelist who Ondaatje was briefly involved with in the 1970s. The poem explores themes of love, desire, and the passing of time. Explanation: "Elizabeth" is a love poem that describes the speaker's feelings for the titular character, whom they compare to a "wrecked galleon" and a "strange flotsam." The poem explores the idea of love being a force that can transcend time and space, with the speaker longing to be reunited with Elizabeth, even if it means traveling through "many doors" and "corridors of light." Poetic Elements:
Conclusion: "Elizabeth" is a beautiful and haunting love poem that explores the themes of love, desire, and the passage of time. Through the use of vivid imagery, repetition, and enjambment, Ondaatje creates a powerful and memorable portrait of the speaker's longing for the titular character. Poem Snippet: "Elizabeth, where are you. Your breath is the wind driven by seas through salt grass. It is the light on needles of southern pine." Copyright (c) 2024 PoetryExplorer | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE HILL WIFE: LONELINESS by ROBERT FROST THE MOTHER WATCH by EDGAR ALBERT GUEST THE PALM TREE by FELICIA DOROTHEA HEMANS ODE ON INDOLENCE by JOHN KEATS THE WIDOW'S MITE by FREDERICK LOCKER-LAMPSON THE WHITE HOUSE by CLAUDE MCKAY THE RUBAIYAT, 1879 EDITION: 23 by OMAR KHAYYAM |
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