The poet is displeased with how certain people take revenge very quickly without considering another side of the coin. If we should have to take revenge, you must think you are offending people. If they will take revenge, it may take your life. He continues that it is not good to tap the mistake of someone and emphasize it. The mistake that a person made can be made by you too. Once we are human beings, we are prone to mistakes of errors. Encouragement and corrections in love are needed. As a researcher and reader, you can use this work to learn more about analyzing and appreciating poems.
Revenge
Contents
Before you pay in one’s coin, look!
Any goose can crackle
Any briar can tear a man’s flesh
Before up in arms, think twice
Before you raise eyebrows, think of tomorrow
Remember that any empty barren can
Give forth sound
Anybody can dance
To the rhythm of the sweet sound
If you say
I will pay you back
You too can cross the same Rubicon
And be tattered
With the same brush
Why you?
Why not live it for the avenger
For justice?
Poet: Deola Adelakun
Briefs of the Poem
The poem ‘Revenge’ presents goodwill and shuns wickedness. The poet sees the mistakes as a normal entity that everyone may be involved in. That is why he frowns at ‘I-will-do-you-what-you-did-to-me’ actions. It is not in our hands to judge but the creators.
He continues that it is not good to tap the mistake of someone and emphasize it. The mistake that a person made can be made by you too. Once we are human beings, we are prone to mistakes of errors. Encouragement and corrections in love are needed.
The poet is displeased with how certain people take revenge very quickly without considering another side of the coin. If we should have to take revenge, you must think you are offending people. If they will take revenge, it may take your life.
If someone offends you and you insist on taking revenge, you should remember that you too offend people. A person who thinks deeply will understand the concept of friendship.
Before you pay in one’s coin; before up in arms, before you raise eyebrows, you should think deeply because you too can be involved in such an act.
The poet concludes that he who avenges is wicked and advises people to leave everything to the avenger. The poet emphasizes that your judgment may be partial but if we leave everything to the Creator, He will make the rift clear. He is the one who will reconcile accordingly.
Theme
The thematic preoccupations in the poem, Revenge teach the lessons of seeing some offenses as a mistake and putting our offenders as ourselves. If we can see this that was, we shall leave everything to God. Secondly, the poem accommodates relationships between people. It is a campaign against segregation, fighting, anger, dislike, and bad friendship. Some of the themes have been discussed below.
Warning against paying back
The poet warns against revenge. He continues to enlighten the readers to deviate from the eye offenses. This is because everyone can fall victim to the offenses. And can be the one that people will revenge on.
Everyone is prone to mistakes
The poem captures that everyone is liable for errors. If you say you will take vengeance on anyone, you should remember that you too can make the same mistake the others make. Remember that nobody ly perfect. You too can make the same mistake.
Think before you do
There is an adage saying, “Look before you leap”. This means that we should think deeply before we take any steps. The step we take today we come back to us tomorrow. If you pardon your offenders’ small offenses today, he or she may pardon your large offenses tomorrow. That is the principle of life.
Allow God to fight for you
God is our perfect avenger! Even you cannot take revenge as God will do. Let’s leave everything to God because man has a limit to his or her paying back. No matter what our revenge may be, it can be as active as the revenge of God.
Language and Poetic Devices
The poet uses certain pages and poetic devices to add value to the enrichment of the poem. Read and work on the languages and poetic devices.
Imagery
The poet uses certain words to draw a picture of revenge and the conditions and consequences of taking vengeance on himself or herself. These words cannot convey ordinary meaning effectively. There are pieces of imagery that can make meaning out of them. Some of them as used by the poet are: “one’s coin” means “as exactly”, “briar” means “anyone”, “eyebrows” means “anger”, “empty barren” refers to “anybody”, “cross the rubicon” means “commit the same mistake or error.
Stanzas and lines
The poem has a joining stanza that involves 15 lines. The poem, “Revenge” has the line, that is, the poem forms the regular principle of the metrical arrangement but it is a completely unrhymed poem.
Rhymes and rhyming scheme
The poem has a good and corresponding sound ending. The rhyming scheme is abcdefgdghafijk
Rhythm
The poem has a metric flow movement which is determined between sounds and events. Apart from this, the poem has the arrangement of the stressed and unstressed syllables which gives a rhythmic effect.
Use of Idiomatic expressions
The poet deliberately makes use of idiomatic and proverbial expressions. Some of them are: “one’s coin” (line 1), “up in arm” (line 4), “raise eyebrows” (line 5), “empty barren can give forth sound (line 9), “cross the same rubicon” (line 12), “be tattered with the same brush” (line 13)
Tone/Mood
The poet condemns an eye-for-eye attitude. He feels optimistic and pessimistic. He is pessimistic if we take vengeance on our own but optimistic if we allow God to take vengeance on our behalf.
Figures of Speech
The poet uses certain figures of speech to add valuvaluethe enrichment of the poem. Read and work on the figures of speech.
Metaphor
The poet makes use of metaphors to compare the two objects without comparative words. Such words are “…cross the same rubicon: (line 12), “And be tattered with the same brush”(line 13)
Rhetorical questions
The poet makes use of rhetorical questions such as “Why you”(line 14), “Why not live all for the avenger” (line 15)
Repetitions
The poet makes use of repetitions such as “Before”(lines 1, 4, 5), “Any” (lines 2, 3), “Why” (lines 14, 15)
Word List and Meanings
Goose: A female bird
Crackle: To make short sharp sounds like something that is burning in a fire
Briar: Any prickly wild bush, especially a wild rose bush
Eyebrow: The line of hair above the eye
Rubicon: The boundary or the point of no return
Practice Questions
1. Comment on the subject matter of the poem.
2. Discuss any four themes identified in the poem.
3. Comment on the imagery of the poem.
4. Explain the poetic devices of the poem.
Editors
adminate
