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What are the poetic devices used in the poem A Bird, came down the Walk?

What are the poetic devices used in the poem A Bird, came down the Walk?

1 Answer

    • Imagery- Imagery is the use of descriptive language that appeals to the senses, creating a vivid mental picture for the reader. It can be seen in the lines, “And then, he drank a Dew/ From a convenient Grass -/ And then hopped sidewise to the Wall/ To let a Beetle pass -”
    • Simile- A simile is a figure of speech that involves the comparison of two unlike things using the words “like” or “as” to highlight a shared similarity between them. The comparison of the bird’s eyes to “frightened Beads” is a metaphor, suggesting the intensity and alertness of the bird’s gaze.
    • Symbolism- Symbolism is the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities, often adding deeper layers of meaning to the text. The bird serves as a symbol in the poem, representing nature in its raw, predatory state, as well as its capacity for gentleness and domesticity.
    • Alliteration- The repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words, creating a rhythmic effect.  It can be seen in phrases like, “…Oars divide the Ocean”, “too silver for a seam”, …Cautious,/ I offered him a Crumb” etc.
    • Enjambment- Enjambment is the continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, stanza, or verse, creating a flowing and continuous rhythm.
    • Personification- Personification is the attribution of human characteristics to non-human entities or objects, giving them human-like qualities. It can be seen in the line, “A Bird, came down the Walk – / He did not know I saw -/ He bit an Angle Worm in halves/ And ate the fellow, raw, “ where both the bird and the worm are personified.

    A Bird, came down the Walk Summary

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