Poem AnalysisFirst thing I noticed about the poem was it's spelling. It made me think when was the poem written, and that it must be a personal poem. The poet is distraught by the absence of someone in their life. Their entire world has been turned upside down. What was bright is now dull, what was right is now wrong, and sadness is a constant bother. The person that he has lost provided him with joy, comfort, and guidance, and now since that person is gone, he is incomplete. He shares," Seems lak to me der's nothin' goin' right...Seems lak to me a tear stays in ma eye, Sence you went away". He loved that person and cared for them a lot, and since they've left him, its left a hole in his world.
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Literary Devices AnalysisI've found 18 devices already, but because I found a new one that I didn't use already, I'll share my discovery. This entire poem uses dialect. Dialect is "the sounds, spelling, grammar, and diction employed by a specific people as distinguished from other persons either geographically or socially" (web.cn.edu). The poet uses slang, commonly used by blacks back in the day when literacy wasn't openly available to African Americans.
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Sence You Went Away
Sence You Went Away
BY JAMES WELDON JOHNSON
Seems lak to me de stars don't shine so bright,
Seems lak to me de sun done loss his light,
Seems lak to me der's nothin' goin' right,
Sence you went away.
Seems lak to me de sky ain't half so blue,
Seems lak to me dat eve'ything wants you,
Seems lak to me I don't know what to do,
Sence you went away.
Seems lak to me dat eve'ything is wrong,
Seems lak to me de day's jes twice ez long,
Seems lak to me de bird's forgot his song,
Sence you went away.
Seems lak to me I jes can't he’p but sigh,
Seems lak to me ma th’oat keeps gittin’ dry,
Seems lak to me a tear stays in ma eye,
Sence you went away.