Poem AnalysisThis poet was told as young boy that if you are bored, you have no inner resources because they are so many wonders in the world. He then confesses that he must not have any, because he is bored with life. Having no inner resources, however, isn't why he is bored. He is tired of pretentious people who only talk about art or literature. Berryman states,"Peoples bore me, literature bores me, especially great literature, Henry bores me, with his plights & gripes as bad as achilles, who loves people and valiant art, which bores me". He can no longer see the aesthetic in nature and scenery. He expresses,"And the tranquil hills, & gin, look like a drag". Even animals seem to just blend in with the landscape and disappears. He says," And somehow a dog has taken itself & its tail considerably away into mountains or sea or sky". He is exasperated with everyday life because it has become mundane. It is inevitable to stay entertained with people who talk about the same thing all the time or seeing the same pretty sights.
|
Literary Devices AnalysisThis basic poem contains two literary devices. Personification is used in the first stanza. Berryman gives the sky the ability to flash and the sea the ability to yearn. To find the second device I had to do some research. The second device is Allusion. When he refers to Achilles he is directly making a reference to the greatest Greek warrior in the Trojan War and hero of Homer's Iliad.
|
Dream Song 14
Dream Song 14
BY JOHN BERRYMAN
Life, friends, is boring. We must not say so.
After all, the sky flashes, the great sea yearns,
we ourselves flash and yearn,
and moreover my mother told me as a boy
(repeatingly) ‘Ever to confess you’re bored
means you have no
Inner Resources.’ I conclude now I have no
inner resources, because I am heavy bored.
Peoples bore me,
literature bores me, especially great literature,
Henry bores me, with his plights & gripes
as bad as achilles,
who loves people and valiant art, which bores me.
And the tranquil hills, & gin, look like a drag
and somehow a dog
has taken itself & its tail considerably away
into mountains or sea or sky, leaving
behind: me, wag.