'An Absolutely Ordinary Rainbow' by Les Murray
AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay
Learning Human: Selected Poems2000The word goes round Repins,
the murmur goes round Lorenzinis,
at Tattersalls, men look up from sheets of numbers,
the Stock Exchange scribblers forget the chalk in their hands
and men with bread in their pockets leave the Greek Club:
There's a fellow crying in Martin Place. They can't stop him.The traffic in George Street is banked up for half a mile
and drained of motion. The crowds are edgy with talk
and more crowds come hurrying. Many run in the back streets
which minutes ago were busy main streets, pointing:
There's a fellow weeping down there. No one can stop him.The man we surround, the man no one approaches
simply weeps, and does not cover it, weeps
not like a child, not like the wind, like a man
and does not declaim it, nor beat his breast, nor even
sob very loudly - yet the dignity of his weepingholds us back from his space, the hollow he makes about him
in the midday light, in his pentagram of sorrow,
and uniforms back in the crowd who tried to seize him
stare out at him, and feel, with amazement, their minds
longing for tears as children for a rainbow.Some will say, in the years to come, a halo
or force stood around him. There is no such thing.
Some will say they were shocked and would have stopped him
but they will not have been there. The fiercest manhood,
the toughest reserve, the slickest wit amongst ustrembles with silence, and burns with unexpected
judgements of peace. Some in the concourse scream
who thought themselves happy. Only the smallest children
and such as look out of Paradise come near him
and sit at his feet, with dogs and dusty pigeons.Ridiculous, says a man near me, and stops
his mouth with his hands, as if it uttered vomit -and I see a woman, shining, stretch her hand
and shake as she receives the gift of weeping;
as many as follow her also receive itand many weep for sheer acceptance, and more
refuse to weep for fear of all acceptance,
but the weeping man, like the earth, requires nothing,
the man who weeps ignores us, and cries out
of his writhen face and ordinary bodynot words, but grief, not messages, but sorrow,
hard as the earth, sheer, present as the sea -
and when he stops, he simply walks between us
mopping his face with the dignity of one
man who has wept, and now has finished weeping.Evading believers, he hurries off down Pitt Street.
Editor 1 Interpretation
An Absolutely Ordinary Rainbow by Les Murray
Have you ever read a poem that leaves you with an inexplicable feeling of awe? If you haven't, then you need to read "An Absolutely Ordinary Rainbow" by Les Murray. This poem takes you on a journey of emotions that you never knew existed. It is a masterpiece in the world of poetry and an absolute delight to read. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will explore the themes, symbols, and stylistic devices in the poem.
Overview of the Poem
"An Absolutely Ordinary Rainbow" is a poem about a man who cries on the street, and the reaction of the people who witness it. The poem is divided into four stanzas, with each stanza building upon the previous one to create a powerful emotional impact on the reader.
In the first stanza, we are introduced to the man who is crying. He is described as an "ordinary man" who is "dressed in a sandwich board". The sandwich board is a symbol of his anonymity and his insignificance in the eyes of the people around him. The poet tells us that the man is crying without restraint and that his tears are "a kind of tune". This simile is used to describe the beauty and the rhythm of the man's tears.
In the second stanza, we see the reaction of the people who witness the man's tears. They are described as being "appalled" and "embarrassed". The poet uses irony to show us how people react to something that they cannot understand. The people are uncomfortable because they are unable to empathize with the man's pain.
In the third stanza, the man continues to cry, and the people around him begin to realize that his tears are not a sign of weakness, but of strength. The poet uses the metaphor of a "waterfall" to describe the man's tears, emphasizing the power and intensity of his emotions.
In the final stanza, the man stops crying, and the people around him are left with a sense of wonder and amazement. The poet uses the metaphor of a "newly created star" to describe the man's transformation. The people who witnessed his tears are now able to see him in a new light, and they are filled with a sense of respect and admiration.
Themes in the Poem
One of the main themes in "An Absolutely Ordinary Rainbow" is the idea of empathy. The poem shows us how people react to something that they cannot understand. The people who witness the man's tears are unable to empathize with his pain, and they are uncomfortable because of it. However, as the poem progresses, the people begin to understand the man's pain, and they are able to empathize with him.
Another theme in the poem is the idea of societal norms. The man is described as being "dressed in a sandwich board", which is a symbol of his anonymity and insignificance in the eyes of the people around him. The people are uncomfortable with the man's tears because they do not fit into societal norms. However, as the poem progresses, the people begin to realize that societal norms are not always the norm, and that people should be allowed to express their emotions freely.
Symbols in the Poem
One of the most powerful symbols in the poem is the man's tears. The tears are described as "a kind of tune" and a "waterfall" to emphasize their beauty and intensity. The tears represent the man's emotions and his pain, and they are a symbol of the power of human emotion.
Another symbol in the poem is the sandwich board. The sandwich board is a symbol of the man's anonymity and insignificance in the eyes of the people around him. It represents the societal norms that people are expected to conform to, and the man's tears are a symbol of his defiance of those norms.
Stylistic Devices in the Poem
One of the most effective stylistic devices in the poem is the use of irony. The poet uses irony to show us how people react to something that they cannot understand. The people are uncomfortable with the man's tears because they do not fit into societal norms. However, as the poem progresses, the people begin to realize that societal norms are not always the norm, and that people should be allowed to express their emotions freely.
Another effective stylistic device in the poem is the use of metaphors. The poet uses metaphors to describe the man's tears, emphasizing their beauty and intensity. The tears are described as "a kind of tune" and "a waterfall", which creates a powerful emotional impact on the reader.
Conclusion
"An Absolutely Ordinary Rainbow" is an extraordinary poem that explores the themes of empathy and societal norms. It uses powerful symbols and stylistic devices to create a powerful emotional impact on the reader. The poem is a masterpiece in the world of poetry and an absolute delight to read. If you haven't read it yet, then you need to read it now.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
An Absolutely Ordinary Rainbow: A Masterpiece of Modern Poetry
Les Murray's "An Absolutely Ordinary Rainbow" is a masterpiece of modern poetry that captures the essence of human emotion and the power of individuality. The poem is a celebration of the human spirit, and it explores the themes of identity, acceptance, and the beauty of diversity. The poem is a powerful commentary on the human experience, and it is a testament to the power of language and the written word.
The poem begins with the image of a man walking down the street, crying. The man is not crying because of any particular event or tragedy, but rather because of the sheer beauty of the world around him. The man's tears are a symbol of his emotional connection to the world, and they represent the power of individuality and the beauty of diversity.
The poem then moves on to describe the reactions of the people around the man. The people are confused and uncomfortable with the man's tears, and they do not understand why he is crying. The people are unable to accept the man's emotional connection to the world, and they try to distance themselves from him.
However, the man's tears continue to flow, and they become a symbol of his strength and resilience. The man's tears are a testament to the power of individuality and the beauty of diversity, and they inspire others to embrace their own emotions and connections to the world.
The poem then moves on to describe the man's transformation. The man's tears become a symbol of his identity, and they become a source of strength and inspiration for others. The man's tears become a symbol of the power of language and the written word, and they inspire others to embrace their own emotions and connections to the world.
The poem ends with the image of the man walking away, still crying. The man's tears are a symbol of his emotional connection to the world, and they represent the power of individuality and the beauty of diversity. The man's tears are a testament to the power of language and the written word, and they inspire others to embrace their own emotions and connections to the world.
In conclusion, Les Murray's "An Absolutely Ordinary Rainbow" is a masterpiece of modern poetry that captures the essence of human emotion and the power of individuality. The poem is a celebration of the human spirit, and it explores the themes of identity, acceptance, and the beauty of diversity. The poem is a powerful commentary on the human experience, and it is a testament to the power of language and the written word.
Editor Recommended Sites
Dev Community Wiki - Cloud & Software Engineering: Lessons learned and best practice tips on programming and cloudRun Knative: Knative tutorial, best practice and learning resources
Learn GPT: Learn large language models and local fine tuning for enterprise applications
Jupyter App: Jupyter applications
Dev Wish I had known: What I wished I known before I started working on
Recommended Similar Analysis
Limbo by Samuel Taylor Coleridge analysisEaster , 1916 by William Butler Yeats analysis
There Be None of Beauty's Daughters by George Gordon, Lord Byron analysis
Eurydice by H.D. analysis
To An Athlete Dying Young by A.E. Housman analysis
The Flea by John Donne analysis
The Arrival Of The Bee Box by Sylvia Plath analysis
Rose , The by Isabella Valancy Crawford analysis
Adventures Of Isabel by Ogden Nash analysis
The Mower's Song by Andrew Marvell analysis