8/2/2019 Lit poem

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Poem A, "Death Mask by edward Field" and poem B, When "Death Comes by MaryOliver". Both poets share totally far off perspective towards death. Poem A provides apessimist point of view while poem B shows a rather optimism way of looking at death.

Poem A uses visual imagery to compare old age with death. The first 4 stanzas of poem

A compares himself with his deceased grandfather, relating to old age and rejectingdeath as seen from ' Whose grandfather is that?/I don't want him.' This visual imageryallows the persona to see death in-front of his eyes when he is aged. However, bycomparing with poem B, the poet relates death with nature rather then comparing adefinite look of death. 'When death comes/like the hungry bear in autumn' A hungrybear is probably unpredictable and it will react to his nature' call . In this way, poet A isobviously showing reluctancy towards death unlike poet B which takes death as itcomes.

Poem A also has auditory imagery. 'a lazy buzz' tell the readers The intensity of death.How life is brought to an end just like a lazy buzz which starts of loud followed by soft

and to nothing(death). In poem B, auditory imagery provides a similar meaning as poemA. Poem A compares death using music: 'and each name a comfortable music in themouth, tending, as all music does, toward silence. Despite the similarity, there is adifference in tone. Edward prefer using auditory imagery to illustrate his feelingstowards death. By using the phrase lazy buzz, it shows how mundane and solemndeath is to him. Unlike Mary, who uses music in comparison with death. Music carriesout a more cheerful and entertaining atmosphere with the aura of death.

Besides auditory and visual imagery, both poets also uses tactile imagery. The similaruse of tactile imagery allow the readers to experience what is it before the blink ofdeath. Poem A, 'a quick sting'. This shows that death is merely a quick and sudden

shock before dying. 'when death comes/like the measle-pox' from poem B shows anillustration of a sudden and painful death, since having measles is indeed suffering. Thechoice of tactile imagery used by both poets actually have the similar meaning; death asbeen random and quick.

A distinct difference between poem A and B is the use of diction. Poem A is seen to beprogressive towards death. Although the title is "Death Mask", the word death is notmentioned in the whole of the poem. Such contradiction brings out uncertainty. Thisuncertainty is shows the essence of death been unpredictable as mentioned earlier.Such similarity shows that death is simple. A comparison between poem A and B forthat distinct diction is the presence of the word death in the poem. The fact that MaryOliver uses the word death in every other stanza shows the acceptance of death ratherthen Edward Field which chooses not to mention the word death. This shows thatEdward is rather afraid of death while Mary treats death as a new life.

Besides the emphasis of death in poem B, another difference which is clearly depictedis the elaboration of the poet views on death. Edward Field shows a constant rejectiontowards death in the 1-2 part of the poem. Unlike Mary Oliver which focuses a minorityportion of her poem on death. Mary Oliver true interpretation of death is actually a

8/2/2019 Lit poem

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constant questioning about life. An example of such view is 'I don't want to end upsimply having visited this world'. By using this phrase, it shows that the poet is notpushing on the theme, death, but rather on life. Where else Poet A sees death as justdeath.

In conclusion, both poet depicts death in a different form. Which poet A mentions aboutthe stages towards death, while poet B treats death as a new life and life as anopportunity.