Poets and Patriotism: Other Perspectives / Other Images


This is the fifth article in the series on poetry and patriotism.

Often readers of poetry look for particular symbols that represent an idea. Several examples include a heart epitomizing love, a cross representing faith, a river signifying time, or a flag--such as Old glory--denoting the ideals of the United States. The main attraction for a poet to utilize any of these symbols is that the images are common and the ideas they represent are universal.

Despite the power of these metaphors and/or similes, poets always seek new combinations of images to epitomize feelings and ideas. Freshly symbolizing an idea or feeling is one of the greatest challenges poets face. The following two poets express their ideas and feelings about universal issues that people worldwide identify with, including Americans. Each poem is also prime example of how poetry continues to be a powerful avenue of communication.

Abby Brown, the first poet, uses a very familiar image found in poetry but effectively creates her symbolism for that image. She shared her poem with me through email, in response to another article I wrote for this topic.

I Lit A Candle,

by
Abby Brown

(For all those people who have been affected by the horrible tragedies in our country.)

I lit a candle, and it felt right.

In that flame burned the lives of the dead,

the lives of the living,

and the lives of those who worry.


I lit a candle, and it felt good.

It felt as if my very soul can be warmed by that flame.


I lit a candle, and I won't forget.

In this poem, the candle denotes feelings of loss as well as regeneration. Though the poem is written in first person, various universal experiences such as graduations, weddings, christenings, memorials, sports events, and even ceremonies which uplift one's spirit are reflected by lit candles.

The second poet, Jeffrey Rubinstein, writes about soul, a universal issue commonly symbolized in poetry; however, this poet refers to the physical soul. He offers his perspectives through uncommonly used images. For instance, in the following stanzas from his poem "The Call" the image of straw is utilized:

"The Call"
by Jeffrey Rubinstein

A meditation on the physical soul

"The Call is a rattle from deep within the chambers of the soul
It is not a sustained deep throated gong
But the scratch of straw that fills the head, the throat and the lungs of the forsaken"

The copyright of the article Poets and Patriotism: Other Perspectives / Other Images in American Poetry Review is owned by Thadine Franciszkiewicz. Permission to republish Poets and Patriotism: Other Perspectives / Other Images in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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