The River
1. I sit on the bank in my special place,
2. Feel the breeze that lifts my hair,
3. And watch the ripples run across the river.
4. It is so peaceful here.
5. Deep enough to justify a fishing pole,
6. Quiet enough for my every thought,
7. The perfect place to contemplate
8. The world and my place in it.
9. Downstream, though, the river changes
10. From the one I know.
11. Its calm flow reaches rocky shallows
12. And starts to caper like a kitten
13. Darting and chasing shadows among the stones.
14. The river leaves the shallows at a run,
15. Rushing faster and faster--
16. A wildcat roaring past steep banks
17. And wild, wet rocks.
18. It claws and crashes in a furious flood,
19. Foaming and sptting as its fury is subdued
20. In the soothing depths of dark, still pools.
21. Tired and tamed by the journey,
22. The river transforms itself again.
23. Its power abates and it seems to move
24. With deliberation, slower and wiser,
25. Past towns that mark its passing and then
26. Go about their buisness.
27. One by one the towns pass by,
28. And the banks give way
29. To borders of salt-smelling mud marsh.
30. Without need for senseless shows of strength.
31. The river relaxes like an aging lion,
32. Done with the hunt and ready for rest.
33. The water slows until
34. A place not too different from mine,
35. Where the water stretches to meet the sky-
36. Where others just like me use mirrored steam
37. To fish and contemplate
38. The world and their place in it.
You have studied narrative and lyric poems in this unit. Which form of poetry is "The River"? Support you answer with evidence from the poem.
I think this is a Lyric Poem! I feel like there is a lot of feeling being told through the poem. Here are some examples 30. Without need for senseless shows of strength. 31. The river relaxes like an aging lion,
32. Done with the hunt and ready for rest.
I agree this time. It does not tell a story, so it's not a narrative poem.
You're correct! "The River" is a lyric poem. Lyric poetry is characterized by expressing personal thoughts and emotions of the speaker in a musical and imaginative manner. This poem exhibits several qualities of a lyric poem, such as the use of first-person perspective and the expression of the speaker's thoughts and feelings.
In lines 30-32, the speaker describes the river relaxing without the need for senseless shows of strength, comparing it to an aging lion done with the hunt and ready for rest. This comparison evokes a sense of calmness, tranquility, and introspection, which are typical themes found in lyric poetry. The speaker's personal feelings and contemplation on the world and their place in it also contribute to the lyrical nature of the poem.
Therefore, based on the evidence you provided, "The River" can be identified as a lyric poem.