Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"At My Hospital Window: Sacerdotal" written  by Peter Viereck was published in 1949.

Explanation:

"At My Hospital Window: Sacerdotal" is a poem that explores the speaker's reflections on his surroundings from the window of a hospital room. The speaker contemplates the nature of life and death and the significance of his own existence in the grand scheme of things. The speaker ultimately arrives at a sense of acceptance of the fleeting nature of life and the beauty that can be found in even the most mundane of experiences.

Poetic Devices:

• Form: Free verse
• Imagery: The poem contains vivid descriptions of the natural world and the speaker's surroundings from his hospital window, such as "the world becomes an empty shrine," and "The sky is cataractous blue, / a sea washed clean of every sail."
• Metaphor: The poem uses the metaphor of the window as a lens through which the speaker views the world, highlighting the distance between the speaker and the outside world and the sense of detachment and isolation that comes with being in a hospital.
• Symbolism: The poem uses the hospital as a symbol of mortality and the fragility of life, with the speaker contemplating his own mortality and the fleeting nature of existence.

Conclusion:

"At My Hospital Window: Sacerdotal" is a poignant reflection on life, death, and the nature of existence. Through vivid imagery and powerful metaphors, the poem captures the speaker's sense of detachment and isolation from the world outside, while also exploring the beauty and wonder that can be found in even the most mundane of experiences. The poem ultimately arrives at a sense of acceptance of the fleeting nature of life, urging the reader to embrace the present moment and find meaning in the here and now.

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