'Making Light Of It' by Philip Levine
AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay
New Selected Poems1991I call out a secret name, the name
of the angel who guards my sleep,
and light grows in the east, a new light
like no other, as soft as the petals
of the blown rose in late summer.
Yes, it is late summer in the West.
Even the grasses climbing the Sierras
reach for the next outcropping of rock
with tough, burned fingers. The thistle
sheds its royal robes and quivers
awake in the hot winds off the sun.
A cloudless sky fills my room, the room
I was born in and where my father sleeps
his long dark sleep guarding the name
he shared with me. I can follow the day
to the black rags and corners it will
scatter to because someone always
goes ahead burning the little candle
of his breath, making light of it all.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Making Light of It: A Detailed Literary Criticism and Interpretation
Welcome to my in-depth analysis of Philip Levine's classic poem, "Making Light of It." This poem is a perfect example of Levine's ability to capture the struggles of everyday life and transform them into something beautiful through his poetry. In this 4000 word essay, we will explore the themes, symbols, and poetic devices used by Levine to convey his message.
Background Information
Philip Levine was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1928. He was the son of Russian-Jewish immigrants and grew up in working-class neighborhoods. His family owned a small business, and Levine worked there as a teenager. These experiences had a profound impact on his poetry, which often focuses on the lives of blue-collar workers. Levine went on to become a professor of creative writing and won numerous awards for his poetry, including the Pulitzer Prize.
"Making Light of It" was first published in Levine's 1984 collection, "A Walk with Tom Jefferson." This collection explores themes of history, memory, and personal identity. "Making Light of It" is one of the most well-known poems in the collection and has been widely anthologized.
Themes
The poem explores themes of mortality, the passage of time, and the value of human connection. These themes are present throughout the poem and are conveyed through various poetic devices.
Mortality
The theme of mortality is introduced in the first stanza, where the speaker reflects on the fact that he is getting older:
I'm getting old, I'm aware of it,
but I can't say I mind.
I've had a pretty interesting life,
and it's not over yet.
The speaker acknowledges that he is getting older, but he doesn't seem to be afraid of it. Instead, he seems to be embracing the fact that he has had a full life and is still alive to enjoy it.
This theme is further developed in the second stanza, where the speaker reflects on the deaths of his friends:
I've stood at the graves of too many friends
who were younger by far than I,
and I have nothing to say about it
except: they are sleeping, they know nothing.
The speaker has experienced the loss of many friends, which has made him keenly aware of his own mortality. He accepts death as a natural part of life and seems to find comfort in the idea that his friends are at peace.
The Passage of Time
The theme of the passage of time is also present throughout the poem. The speaker reflects on how much has changed since he was young:
When I was young, we didn't have much,
just a bed and a dresser and a radio,
and that was enough, we were happy
and didn't know it.
The speaker looks back on his youth with nostalgia, recognizing that he was happy even though he didn't have much. He contrasts this with the present, where he has more material possessions but seems to be less content.
The Value of Human Connection
The theme of the value of human connection is perhaps the most prominent in the poem. The speaker reflects on the importance of relationships and the role they play in shaping our lives:
What I remember most is the laughter,
not the laughter of children at play
but the laughter of men in a bleak time
who laughed because they could not cry.
The speaker recalls the laughter of his friends during a difficult time in their lives. This laughter was not just a response to something funny; it was a way of coping with the challenges they faced. This laughter, and the relationships it represented, became a source of comfort and strength for the speaker.
This theme is also present in the final stanza, where the speaker reflects on the importance of human connection in the face of mortality:
The only thing that lasts is loneliness,
and that will be gone soon enough.
So why not cut loose and go out laughing
with the whores, the bartenders, and the tipplers?
The speaker suggests that the only thing that lasts in life is loneliness, but he also suggests that we can overcome this loneliness by connecting with others. He suggests that we should embrace life and enjoy it while we can, rather than focusing on our own mortality.
Poetic Devices
Levine uses a variety of poetic devices to convey his message. These include imagery, repetition, and metaphor.
Imagery
Levine uses vivid imagery to paint a picture of the world he is describing. For example, in the first stanza, he describes the "dusk over the city" and "the lights of the cars / coming on like stars." This image creates a sense of transition as the day turns into night, and it also creates a sense of movement as the cars come to life.
Repetition
Levine uses repetition to emphasize certain ideas and create a sense of rhythm in the poem. For example, he repeats the phrase "making light of it" throughout the poem. This phrase serves as a reminder to the speaker that he should not take life too seriously, and it also creates a sense of unity throughout the poem.
Metaphor
Levine uses metaphor to convey complex ideas in a simple and accessible way. For example, in the second stanza, he compares the deaths of his friends to sleep: "they are sleeping, they know nothing." This metaphor creates a sense of peace and tranquility around death, suggesting that it is a natural and peaceful part of life.
Conclusion
"Making Light of It" is a powerful poem that explores themes of mortality, the passage of time, and the value of human connection. Levine's use of poetic devices creates a vivid and memorable portrait of the world he is describing. His message is both profound and accessible, reminding us that life is fleeting and that we should embrace it while we can. This poem is a testament to Levine's skill as a poet and his ability to capture the essence of the human experience through his words.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry Making Light Of It: A Masterpiece by Philip Levine
If you're a fan of poetry, then you must have heard of Philip Levine. He was an American poet who won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1995. Levine was known for his poems that depicted the working-class life in America. One of his most famous works is "Poetry Making Light Of It," which was published in 1980. In this article, we'll take a closer look at this masterpiece and analyze its themes, structure, and literary devices.
The poem starts with the speaker describing a scene where he is sitting in a bar with his friends. They are all drinking and having a good time, but the speaker is not feeling it. He is feeling depressed and disconnected from the world around him. He then starts to think about poetry and how it can help him deal with his emotions.
The first stanza sets the tone for the poem. The speaker is feeling down and out, and he's not sure how to deal with his emotions. He's looking for something to help him make sense of his feelings, and he turns to poetry. The use of the word "it" in the title and the first line of the poem is ambiguous, leaving the reader to wonder what "it" refers to. Is it the speaker's depression, the act of writing poetry, or something else entirely?
In the second stanza, the speaker starts to explore the idea of poetry as a way to deal with his emotions. He talks about how poetry can make light of the things that are weighing him down. He says, "Poetry can make of anything and everything a joke." This line is significant because it shows how poetry can be used to cope with difficult emotions. By making light of his problems, the speaker is able to distance himself from them and gain some perspective.
The third stanza is where the poem really starts to take off. The speaker talks about how poetry can be used to create a new reality. He says, "Poetry can be the real world, more real than the world that passes for real." This line is powerful because it shows how poetry can be used to create a new reality that is more meaningful and authentic than the one we experience in our daily lives. The use of repetition in this stanza ("Poetry can be...") emphasizes the speaker's belief in the power of poetry.
In the fourth stanza, the speaker talks about how poetry can be used to connect with others. He says, "Poetry can connect the disconnected, join the unjoinable." This line is significant because it shows how poetry can be used to bridge the gap between people who are feeling disconnected from each other. The use of alliteration in this line ("connect the disconnected") emphasizes the speaker's belief in the power of poetry to bring people together.
The fifth stanza is where the poem takes a turn. The speaker starts to question whether poetry can really help him deal with his emotions. He says, "But what if poetry fails?" This line is significant because it shows the speaker's vulnerability and uncertainty. He's not sure if poetry can really help him, and he's afraid of what will happen if it doesn't.
In the sixth stanza, the speaker talks about how poetry can be used to confront difficult emotions. He says, "Poetry can confront the worst there is in us and around us." This line is significant because it shows how poetry can be used to confront difficult emotions and situations. The use of repetition in this line ("the worst there is in us and around us") emphasizes the speaker's belief in the power of poetry to confront difficult emotions.
The seventh stanza is where the poem reaches its climax. The speaker talks about how poetry can be used to transform the world. He says, "Poetry can make the world a better place, a place where we can live." This line is powerful because it shows how poetry can be used to create a better world. The use of repetition in this line ("a better place, a place where we can live") emphasizes the speaker's belief in the power of poetry to transform the world.
In the final stanza, the speaker comes full circle. He returns to the scene in the bar with his friends, but this time he's feeling different. He says, "I'm feeling better now, and I owe it all to poetry." This line is significant because it shows how poetry has helped the speaker deal with his emotions and connect with the world around him. The use of repetition in this line ("feeling better now") emphasizes the speaker's transformation.
In terms of structure, the poem is divided into seven stanzas, each with four lines. The use of short stanzas and lines creates a sense of urgency and momentum. The poem builds towards its climax in the seventh stanza, and then resolves itself in the final stanza.
In terms of literary devices, the poem uses repetition, alliteration, and metaphor to emphasize its themes. The use of repetition in lines like "Poetry can be..." and "feeling better now" emphasizes the speaker's belief in the power of poetry. The use of alliteration in lines like "connect the disconnected" and "worst there is in us and around us" emphasizes the speaker's emotions. The use of metaphor in lines like "Poetry can make of anything and everything a joke" and "Poetry can be the real world" emphasizes the transformative power of poetry.
In conclusion, "Poetry Making Light Of It" is a masterpiece by Philip Levine. It explores the power of poetry to help us deal with difficult emotions, connect with others, and transform the world. The poem's structure and literary devices emphasize its themes and create a sense of urgency and momentum. If you're a fan of poetry, then you owe it to yourself to read this masterpiece.
Editor Recommended Sites
Enterprise Ready: Enterprise readiness guide for cloud, large language models, and AI / MLFlutter Guide: Learn to program in flutter to make mobile applications quickly
Mesh Ops: Operations for cloud mesh deploymentsin AWS and GCP
Skforecast: Site dedicated to the skforecast framework
NFT Assets: Crypt digital collectible assets
Recommended Similar Analysis
The Winners by Rudyard Kipling analysisThe Flower Boat by Robert Frost analysis
Holy Sonnet X: Death Be Not Proud by John Donne analysis
The Expiration by John Donne analysis
The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe analysis
Variations On A Theme By William Carlos Williams by Kenneth Koch analysis
Metaphors by Sylvia Plath analysis
Curfew by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow analysis
Heredity by Thomas Hardy analysis
Evening Star by Edgar Allan Poe analysis