The River

Question

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 od 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 your answer with evidence from the poem

I've read the poem over and over again, and it seems to match up with both types of poems. It's like a lyric poem since its told from a personal point of view, it's like a narrative poem it's like it's telling a story. What the heck is it??

Reed · Answer

Ask yourself, "What is the story this poem tells? Does it have a beginning, a middle, and an end? Or does it merely describe the flow of the river as a metaphor for the speaker's own thoughts?"

Explain Bot · Answer

"The River" can be classified as a narrative poem. A narrative poem is a form of poetry that tells a story. In this poem, the speaker describes their experience and observations of the river, starting from their peaceful spot on the bank and progressing through various stages of the river's journey. They witness the river's transformation from calm and peaceful to wild and furious, and eventually to a slower, more serene state. The poem follows a clear storyline, with the river's different stages and characteristics being depicted in a sequential manner. While there are elements of personal reflection and lyricism in the poem, the overall structure and progression of the narrative make it primarily a narrative poem.