Song for Last years wife- essay
Explore how the writer of one of your choice from the relationship collections presents different ideas about relationships from those given in ‘song for last year’s wife’
The poem by Brian Pattern presents thoughts of a man who misses his wife. The man in the poem is directly talking to his wife which plays a role in the structure of the poem. On the contrary, ‘One Flesh’ by Elizabeth Jennings explores the effect of long term relationships as the poem is written about her parents, therefore it is quite personal. Both poems have two very different themes within the main theme of relationships, for instance, ‘One Flesh’ looks at the process of long term relationships and ‘Song for last year’s wife’ study’s the theme of pain when relationships breakdown.
Both titles of the poem have some sort of connotation behind it. One flesh is mentioned in the Bible as it refers to two people becoming one after marriage and meant to be in unity, however, the poem contradicts the title as it depicts how they are separated from each other even though they are still married. On the other hand, ‘song for last year’s wife’ alludes to the fact he has another wife but makes the read want to read on to find out what has happened to her.
Subsequently, presenting different ideas about relationship, their structures both vary to fit the idea and perspective. The rhyme scheme of One Flesh is A, B, A, B, A, A in the first two stanzas but the last stanza does not have a rhyming couplet as ‘these two who are my ... has now grown cold’ shows that there was a strong relationship at the start but broke down and has shattered. Perhaps, the effect of having a rhyming couplet at the end of the first two stanzas and not the last one is that the relationship has reached a level where there isn’t any hope for their love for each other but just they have to be together for their daughter’s sake. On the other hand, Pattern does not use a rhyme scheme as the man is talking to his wife and you
The poem by Brian Pattern presents thoughts of a man who misses his wife. The man in the poem is directly talking to his wife which plays a role in the structure of the poem. On the contrary, ‘One Flesh’ by Elizabeth Jennings explores the effect of long term relationships as the poem is written about her parents, therefore it is quite personal. Both poems have two very different themes within the main theme of relationships, for instance, ‘One Flesh’ looks at the process of long term relationships and ‘Song for last year’s wife’ study’s the theme of pain when relationships breakdown.
Both titles of the poem have some sort of connotation behind it. One flesh is mentioned in the Bible as it refers to two people becoming one after marriage and meant to be in unity, however, the poem contradicts the title as it depicts how they are separated from each other even though they are still married. On the other hand, ‘song for last year’s wife’ alludes to the fact he has another wife but makes the read want to read on to find out what has happened to her.
Subsequently, presenting different ideas about relationship, their structures both vary to fit the idea and perspective. The rhyme scheme of One Flesh is A, B, A, B, A, A in the first two stanzas but the last stanza does not have a rhyming couplet as ‘these two who are my ... has now grown cold’ shows that there was a strong relationship at the start but broke down and has shattered. Perhaps, the effect of having a rhyming couplet at the end of the first two stanzas and not the last one is that the relationship has reached a level where there isn’t any hope for their love for each other but just they have to be together for their daughter’s sake. On the other hand, Pattern does not use a rhyme scheme as the man is talking to his wife and you