Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Salt Lesson" is a poem by Carol Frost that was first published in 1997. The poem is part of a larger collection that explores the theme of mortality, and it uses the metaphor of salt to explore the cyclical nature of life and death.

Explanation:

The poem begins with an evocative description of the sea and the way that salt is essential to the life of the ocean. The poem then shifts to a reflection on the nature of human life, and how we are all "a little salt," each of us a small part of a larger cycle of life and death. The poem ends with a meditation on the impermanence of life and the inevitability of death.

Poetic Elements:

• Form: The poem is written in free verse, with no set rhyme scheme or meter. The poem is structured as a series of short stanzas that build on one another.
• Imagery: The poem contains vivid visual imagery that evokes the beauty and power of the sea, as well as the fragility and impermanence of human life. The poem also uses metaphorical imagery to explore the theme of life and death.
• Repetition: The use of repetition throughout the poem emphasizes the cyclical nature of life and the inevitability of death.
• Theme: The poem explores the themes of mortality, impermanence, and the cyclical nature of life and death.

Conclusion:

"Salt Lesson" is a poignant and evocative poem that uses the metaphor of salt to explore the cyclical nature of life and death. The poem's use of vivid imagery, repetition, and metaphor create a sense of beauty and wonder, while its underlying themes of mortality and impermanence invite the reader to reflect on the larger cycles of life and death that we all are a part of. The poem is a powerful reminder of the fragility and beauty of human life, and of the importance of cherishing each moment that we have.

Poem Snippet:

"Salt is the heart of the ocean.

We hold a little salt ourselves.

We are dying like fish,

part of the endless flow

going to what has always been."