i read this poem again and simile be that duck call for her mate but wind blow his answer away and leave her lonely on beach?
The Lonely Land by A.J.M. Smith
Cedar and jagged fir
uplift sharp barbs
against the gray
and cloud-piled sky;
and in the bay
blown spume and windrift by the wind
and thin, bitter spray
snap
at the whirling sky;
and the pine trees
lean one way.
A wild duck calls
to her mate,
and the ragged
and passionate tones
stagger and fall,
and recover,
and stagger and fall,
on these stones -
are lost
in the lapping of water
on smooth, flat stones.
This is a beauty
of dissonance,
this resonance
of stony strand
this smoky cry
curled over a black pine
like a broken
and wind-battered branch
when the wind
bends the tops of the pines
and curdles the sky
from the north
This is the beauty
of strength
broken by strength
and still strong.
A simile must have the words like or as in it.
This is the only simile I see:
"this smoky cry
curled over a black pine
like a broken
and wind-battered branch "
Your interpretation is right.
thanks very much ms. sue
You're very welcome, Mohammad.
The poem you shared is called "The Lonely Land" by A.J.M. Smith. It describes a scene where the poet observes cedar and jagged fir trees standing against a gray and cloudy sky. In the bay, the wind blows spume and windrift while the thin, bitter spray snaps at the swirling sky. The pine trees lean in one direction, indicating the force of the wind.
Amidst this setting, a wild duck calls out to her mate. The duck's call is described as ragged and passionate, as it staggers and falls repeatedly. However, the sound of the duck's call is lost in the lapping of water against smooth, flat stones. The poet finds beauty in this dissonance, the contrast between the resonating call of the duck and the quietness of the water.
The poem also highlights the strength and resilience in nature. The smoky cry of the duck is compared to a broken and wind-battered branch of a black pine tree. Even when the wind bends the tops of the pine trees and curdles the sky from the north, the strength of the natural world endures.
To interpret this poem, you can focus on the theme of loneliness and the fragility of connection. The duck's call represents a longing for companionship, but the wind sweeps away its answer, leaving it alone on the beach. The beauty lies in the juxtaposition of the duck's passionate cries and the indifferent surroundings, emphasizing the call's poignancy. The strength and resilience found in nature could symbolize the ability to endure hardship and find beauty even in moments of isolation.
Hopefully, this explanation helps you understand the poem's meaning and the various elements it explores.