Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

“Pylons” is a modernist poem written by Stephen Spender, published in his collection “The Still Centre” in 1939. The poem captures the massive structure of electricity pylons and portrays them as an imposing symbol of the modern industrial age.

Explanation:

The poem opens with the description of the countryside in which the pylons stand, “the countryside not being ours”. It then goes on to describe the towering pylons as “massive, perpendiculars / striding the landscape”. The speaker is awestruck by their size and power, which are emphasized by the use of words like “steel” and “iron”. The poem then moves on to describe the wires and their connection to the pylons, creating a striking visual image of the electricity coursing through them, “jewelled / with suspended power”. The speaker wonders at the way the landscape has been altered by the pylons, but also acknowledges their utility, “clearing the webbed air”. The poem ends with the speaker suggesting that the pylons represent a modernist aesthetic, a “new symbol for our age”.

Poetic Elements:

• Imagery: The poem creates vivid imagery through its descriptions of the landscape and the pylons, highlighting their size, power, and utility.
• Metaphor: The pylons are metaphorically described as “massive, perpendiculars / striding the landscape”, emphasizing their imposing presence.
• Alliteration: The use of alliteration in phrases like “suspended power” and “steel-stiffened” create a sense of the solidity and strength of the pylons.
• Personification: The wires are personified as “jewelled”, adding to their visual impact and creating a sense of beauty.
• Enjambment: The use of enjambment in the poem creates a sense of fluidity and movement, mimicking the flow of the electricity through the wires.
• Repetition: The repetition of the phrase “striding the landscape” emphasizes the imposing presence of the pylons.
• Symbolism: The poem uses the pylons as a symbol for the modernist age, representing the power and utility of technology.
• Structure: “Pylons” is a free verse poem with no set rhyme scheme. The lines are of varying lengths, with some lines extending over several verses. The poem is divided into four stanzas, each of which contains distinct images and ideas.

Conclusion:

“Pylons” is a striking example of modernist poetry, using vivid imagery and metaphors to capture the imposing presence of electricity pylons in the landscape. Through its use of poetic elements, the poem creates a sense of awe and wonder at the power and utility of technology, while also acknowledging the way it alters the natural world. The poem is an exploration of the intersection between nature and technology, and a celebration of the modernist aesthetic.

Poem Snippet:

"Under the flicker of a neon light,

Where the wet taxis glide like a dragonfly,

You came to me with a drunken kiss

And so I went with you and we parted at dawn."

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