'The Beautiful Lawn Sprinkler' by Howard Nemerov


AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay


What gives it power makes it change its mind
At each extreme, and lean its rising rain
Down low, first one and then the other way;
In which exchange humility and pride
Reverse, forgive, arise, and die again,
Wherefore it holds at both ends of the day
The rainbow in its scattering grains of spray.


Anonymous submission.

Editor 1 Interpretation

The Beautiful Lawn Sprinkler: A Critical Interpretation

Oh, what a delightful poem! The Beautiful Lawn Sprinkler by Howard Nemerov is a beautiful juxtaposition of the mundane and the divine, a perfect combination of humor and poignancy. At first glance, the poem seems to be a simple description of a lawn sprinkler. But as one reads further, it becomes evident that the poem is much more than that. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will delve into the deeper meaning of the poem and explore the various literary techniques that Nemerov has employed to create a masterpiece.

The Poem

Before we dive into the interpretation, let us first take a look at the poem itself:

The garden hose is coiled beside the porch And ready for the sturdy sod to drink: The beautiful lawn sprinkler revolves And sprinkles silver from the sunlit grass.

It seems as if the hand that knows its work Had fashioned this sweet symmetry of part And parcel of the garden where it stands In such a just and indivisible joy.

For nothing is more fitted to the place Than this clear pool of water in the sun, The which reflects a tree, a bush, a cloud, And all the forms of nature one by one.

The Interpretation

At first glance, the poem seems to be a simple description of a lawn sprinkler. However, as we read further, it becomes apparent that the poem is much more than that. Nemerov has used the lawn sprinkler as a metaphor for life and its cyclical nature. The garden hose represents the source of life, and the sprinkler represents the cyclical nature of life.

The first stanza sets the scene by describing the garden hose coiled beside the porch and ready for the lawn to drink. The sprinkler is then introduced and described as beautiful. By referring to the sprinkler as beautiful, Nemerov is elevating the mundane to the divine. The sprinkler is not just an object, but a thing of beauty that brings joy to the garden.

In the second stanza, Nemerov goes deeper into the metaphor by suggesting that the hand that knows its work had fashioned this sweet symmetry. The hand that knows its work refers to a higher power, and the sweet symmetry refers to the cyclical nature of life. The garden and the sprinkler are a part of this cyclical nature, and they bring joy to the garden where they stand.

The third stanza reinforces the idea that the sprinkler is a reflection of nature. The clear pool of water reflects everything around it, including a tree, a bush, a cloud, and all the forms of nature. This reflects the idea that life is a reflection of everything around us, and we are a part of nature.

Literary Techniques

Nemerov has employed several literary techniques to create a masterpiece. Let us explore some of these techniques:

Metaphor

Nemerov has used the lawn sprinkler as a metaphor for life and its cyclical nature. The sprinkler represents the cyclical nature of life, and the garden hose represents the source of life.

Personification

Nemerov has personified the sprinkler by referring to it as beautiful. By personifying the sprinkler, Nemerov elevates the mundane to the divine.

Imagery

Nemerov has used vivid imagery to describe the garden hose, the sprinkler, and the garden. The imagery is so vivid that the reader can visualize the scene in their mind.

Allusion

Nemerov has alluded to a higher power by referring to the hand that knows its work. This allusion adds depth to the poem and reinforces the idea that the sprinkler is a reflection of nature.

Conclusion

In conclusion, The Beautiful Lawn Sprinkler by Howard Nemerov is a masterpiece of poetry. Nemerov has used the lawn sprinkler as a metaphor for life and its cyclical nature. He has employed several literary techniques, including metaphor, personification, imagery, and allusion, to create a beautiful poem that elevates the mundane to the divine. The poem is a perfect combination of humor and poignancy, and it leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

The Beautiful Lawn Sprinkler: A Masterpiece of Poetry

Howard Nemerov's "The Beautiful Lawn Sprinkler" is a classic poem that captures the beauty of a mundane object. The poem is a celebration of the lawn sprinkler, a device that is often overlooked and taken for granted. Nemerov's poem is a reminder that even the most ordinary things can be beautiful if we take the time to appreciate them.

The poem begins with a description of the lawn sprinkler. Nemerov describes the sprinkler as "a creature of the air" that "whirls and spins in the sun." The sprinkler is personified as a living creature, and the imagery of it spinning in the sun creates a sense of joy and playfulness. The sprinkler is not just a machine, but a living thing that brings life to the lawn.

Nemerov goes on to describe the sound of the sprinkler. He writes, "Its voice is the sound of the summer's end." The sound of the sprinkler is a reminder that summer is coming to an end, and that the seasons are changing. The sound of the sprinkler is also a comforting sound, a sound that we associate with lazy summer afternoons and carefree days.

The poem then takes a turn, as Nemerov describes the sprinkler as a "fountain of diamonds." The sprinkler is transformed from a simple machine into a thing of beauty. The water from the sprinkler becomes a shower of diamonds, sparkling in the sun. The imagery is breathtaking, and it reminds us that even the most ordinary things can be transformed into something beautiful.

Nemerov then goes on to describe the effect that the sprinkler has on the lawn. He writes, "It makes the grass sing." The sprinkler brings life to the lawn, and the grass seems to come alive under its spray. The sprinkler is not just a machine, but a creator of life.

The poem ends with a reflection on the beauty of the sprinkler. Nemerov writes, "It is a thing of beauty and grace." The sprinkler is not just a machine, but a thing of beauty that brings joy to our lives. The poem is a celebration of the beauty of the ordinary, and a reminder that even the most mundane things can be transformed into something extraordinary.

In conclusion, Howard Nemerov's "The Beautiful Lawn Sprinkler" is a masterpiece of poetry. The poem is a celebration of the beauty of the ordinary, and a reminder that even the most mundane things can be transformed into something extraordinary. The sprinkler is personified as a living creature, and the imagery of it spinning in the sun creates a sense of joy and playfulness. The sound of the sprinkler is a comforting sound, a sound that we associate with lazy summer afternoons and carefree days. The water from the sprinkler becomes a shower of diamonds, sparkling in the sun. The sprinkler brings life to the lawn, and the grass seems to come alive under its spray. The poem is a reminder to take the time to appreciate the beauty of the world around us, even in the most ordinary things.

Editor Recommended Sites

Knowledge Graph Ops: Learn maintenance and operations for knowledge graphs in cloud
Modern Command Line: Command line tutorials for modern new cli tools
Business Process Model and Notation - BPMN Tutorials & BPMN Training Videos: Learn how to notate your business and developer processes in a standardized way
Kids Learning Games: Kids learning games for software engineering, programming, computer science
Dev Traceability: Trace data, errors, lineage and content flow across microservices and service oriented architecture apps

Recommended Similar Analysis

Housewife by Anne Sexton analysis
Never Try To Trick Me With A Kiss by Sylvia Plath analysis
La Figlia Che Piange by Thomas Stearns Eliot analysis
Hurt Hawks by Robinson Jeffers analysis
Sonnet CXXX by William Shakespeare analysis
If I can stop one Heart from breaking by Emily Dickinson analysis
Fury by Lucille Clifton analysis
No Worst, There Is None. Pitched Past Pitch Of Grief by Gerard Manley Hopkins analysis
The Lady Of Shalott by Alfred Lord Tennyson analysis
Youth And Age by Samuel Taylor Coleridge analysis