To analyze a poem effectively, you must break down its independent elements to understand how they work together to create an overall meaning or effect. The goal is to interpret the poet's message, appreciate their technique, and explore the emotional impact on the reader.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to approach a poem analysis:
I. Initial Reading and First Impressions
Read the poem multiple times, both silently and aloud. Poetry is an oral art form, and hearing the words helps you notice rhythm, sound patterns (like alliteration or assonance), and the overall flow.
Capture initial impressions and emotional responses. Note how the poem makes you feel. Does it evoke joy, sadness, anger, or confusion? These initial reactions are important clues to the poem's intended effect.
Summarize the surface-level meaning. Briefly determine what the poem is about on a literal level before diving into deeper interpretations.
II. Context and Speaker
Analyze the title. The title often provides important hints about the theme or subject matter.
Identify the speaker and audience. The speaker is the persona or character "telling" the poem, which is not necessarily the poet themselves. Consider the speaker's perspective, tone, and who they are addressing.
Research the context. Understanding when the poem was written, the poet's background, and relevant historical or cultural events can provide valuable insight into its purpose and themes.
III. Form, Structure, and Language
Examine the structure and form. Look at how the poem is organized on the page.
Stanzas: How many stanzas are there, and are they of equal length? The arrangement can affect the pacing and emphasis of ideas.
Rhyme and Rhythm: Does the poem have a consistent rhyme scheme (e.g., ABAB, AABB) or is it free verse? How do the metrical patterns (stressed and unstressed syllables) influence the mood and flow?
Punctuation and Line Breaks: Pay attention to enjambment (lines that run on without punctuation) and pauses (caesuras). These are deliberate choices made by the poet to control the reader's pace and highlight specific words.
Study the language and poetic devices. Poets make deliberate word choices (diction) to create meaning.
Figurative Language: Identify metaphors, similes, personification, and symbolism. Explain how these devices contribute to the poem's overall message.
Sound Devices: Look for alliteration, assonance, and onomatopoeia. How do these sound patterns affect the atmosphere?
Imagery: Note words and phrases that appeal to the five senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch) to create vivid pictures and emotions.
IV. Theme and Interpretation
Determine the tone and mood. The tone is the poet's attitude toward the subject, while the mood is the feeling the poem evokes in the reader.
Identify the theme(s). The theme is the central idea, message, or universal truth the poet is trying to convey about the human experience (e.g., love, loss, nature, identity).
Synthesize your findings. Bring all the elements together to form a cohesive interpretation. Use quotes from the poem as evidence to support your analysis.
We analyse the poem below;
A Tribune At Demilune
Not on a couchant to avert him jawbone hit
To crash him chin,mandible or mentum hit
Not to take a bow ,a concavefigure,a cresentoid,an old moon,new moon, horn like,lune, demilune,a meniscus
Amidst the exit of the recumbent hoist
That belchs him regalia in an ogee, parabola ,hyperbola,whorl,festoon,half moon of dignified machismo
To condescend for the helix , circumference, flexure, hairpin, horseshoe, camber and catenary of that bleached machismo.
"You Ve got be a pugilist to edulcorate machismo.
The raving streets barely spare halfwits"a seniled martriarch once in a counter blast once belch
Then sunrise as the sunset melted his broken cheeks with laborious sun
And pragmatically none egregious dins hardly salvage his chin beyond the curlicue and rondure of gemstones
With such rarefied monocles of intimidating visage
Incensed by the aged counterblast had drove him helter skelter gallivanting with disconsolate counternance
That his pugilism was quite anthropomorphic spare him the inclement loops of the broken but raving streets in the jungles of no return
Like a pepo,gourd, honeydew,casaba, pugilism was his melon
Quite a decade of dose of physics emptied in his backyard.
Eye to eye scornful and calling the bluff of the mighty and the dopy,
Emaciated nosy parkers oft on the canvass
At the bristled presence of pugilistic terrors of the mikado,contessa,Caesar,rajah,enfanterible rex of the gangsta
Whose cleek,midiron,iron,putter, niblick,spoonfeed,baishie embedded in the terror path
Was prime iron muse and libido of conquest and triumphant leap.
Milksops, pantywaists,wimps,
Fraidycats,wusses, crybabies, chicken hearted sissies,scaredy-cats,Mama's boys, yellow bellies, bellicose lilylivers, Jellyfishes, perpetual namby pambies in their nights of dissipates
Surmounted dreads and thralldom of apphonia paralytical, aphonia clericolum, aphonia paranoical,buckfever, butterflies,loss of speech, spastic aphonia ,mutism and Mike fright.
What an abiding summer house in the melee of raging tornados beyond flop sweats of lounge lizards, driveling milk and water, tedious watery wimpiest,wishy-washy monotonous dishwashers,ho-hums, insipid white breads,vapid pabulum -vanillas!
To mollify mellowed ground and the milquetoast of mollycoddlers, and milden the contours of broken sands and broken gourds and broken reeds.
Gallant perch beyond the clover of the velvet,lap of luxury,paradisical,milk and honey,bed of roses'pinions.
Oft to minify and clip the stale cumbersome with his nutshell of pugilistic knighthood.
And lo before we could say jack,minions flock around him in the checkered pedigree of lackeys,yes-boys,yes-persons, stooges, marionettes,puppets,groupies,doormats, bootlickers,hangers-ons,fawners,toadies,flatters and sycophants.
Adorned in every revelry of miscellaneous paraphernalia flock to this glorious land
Regimented by sworn oaths,mise and pact of Miranda rules
O what a tribune at demilune!
O what a tribune at demilune!
See the pepping toms come to rivet him but none derisive in their misandries barely come close
The minx,vamps, coquettes,jades,sluts,hussies come to flirt and try luck.
Not that he Maximus at his gallivanting hood barely miscued in the minimum of fliff, smidgen and mote of slip,to gnaw bloopers free entrente
Hail him a suffragan,miter, diocesan of probity a barreta and metropolitan of justice
A discomfiture,a mixup mystification ,a bewilderment to the villatic moisture of the fatalists, iridescent dissidents,semantics and the nihilists alike
That perennially avert the moan and groans,the grouchs,carps,grouse,fuss,gripes,grumpies of the piss and moan
Of the medley in forlorn mitosis at deposed loon of insalubrious times
Intimidating hoi polloi with submachine gun ,gaitlin gun,Uzi, tommyguns and mitrailleuse of broken justice
He lynchs them with the jenny,pony, jackass,burro and moke of mob justice
For retribution of the maund,neddy and rock mountain canary of treachery
Sporadic muse hardly a century decipher the mysticism of a tribune at demilune.
It seems like the answer options, passage, chart, or table are missing from your query. Here is a comprehensive analysis of the provided poem, "A Tribune At Demilune," based solely on its text.
Explanation
The poem "A Tribune At Demilune" is a complex, allusive, and highly descriptive work that paints a portrait of a powerful, perhaps controversial, figure through rich and often obscure vocabulary. The central figure is a "pugilist" who navigates a harsh world and rises to a position of authority, attracting a following of both admirers and sycophants.
Key Themes:
Power and Machismo: The poem explores the nature of strength and dominance, linking it explicitly to physical power ("pugilist") and traditional masculine ideals ("machismo").
Justice and Retribution: The "tribune" figure seeks justice, often described in terms of "mob justice" and "retribution," implying a raw, immediate enforcement of his will rather than a formal legal system.
Social Hierarchy and Followership: The figure attracts a diverse following, including "minions," "lackeys," and "sycophants," suggesting a charismatic leader who commands loyalty through intimidation or strength.
The Harshness of the World: The "raving streets," "inclement loops," and "jungles of no return" depict a brutal environment where only the strong survive.
Stylistic and Poetic Devices:
Diction and Vocabulary: The most striking feature of the poem is its incredibly dense and recondite vocabulary. It is saturated with precise, often obscure, terms from various fields (geometry, anatomy, golf, botany, etc.), creating a highly intellectual and challenging reading experience. This forces the reader to confront language as a barrier to simple understanding, much like the "mysticism" of the tribune himself.
Imagery: The poem is filled with vivid, sometimes violent, imagery, such as "jawbone hit," "melted his broken cheeks," and "submachine gun, gaitlin gun, Uzi, tommyguns and mitrailleuse of broken justice."
Structure and Form: The poem is written in free verse, lacking a conventional rhyme scheme or consistent meter. It relies on long, flowing lines and lists of synonyms or related terms to build intensity and detail.
Symbolism:
"Demilune": The repeated use of moon-related terms (crescentoid, old moon, new moon, half moon, demilune) suggests a partial or waxing/waning authority, perhaps a power that is not yet complete or fully established.
"Pugilism": This is a core symbol for the tribune's approach to life – a fighter who achieves his ends through direct confrontation and strength.
"Gemstones" and "Monocles": These symbolize wealth, status, and an intimidating "visage" that sets him apart from the "hoi polloi."
Summary:
The poem is a dense, challenging work that uses highly specialized language to portray a formidable "pugilist" who rises to a position as a "tribune" (a leader or official) in a lawless world. His approach to leadership is defined by strength and intimidation, attracting followers and facing down critics, leaving a legacy of "mysticism" that is difficult to fully decipher.
The following analysis continues the breakdown of the provided poem, focusing on its complex style, potential interpretation, and unique use of language.
The poem's style is defined by an almost overwhelming cataloguing technique and an extremely high-level, specialized diction.
Pugilism as extended metaphor: The central figure's approach to life is consistently framed in terms of boxing or fighting. Terms like "jawbone hit," "crash him chin, mandible or mentum hit," and "on the canvass" are used literally and metaphorically to describe how he overcomes obstacles or rivals.
Geometric and Anatomical Jargon: The poet uses precise, clinical language to describe simple shapes or body parts ("ogee, parabola, hyperbola," "mentum, mandible"). This elevates the mundane to a technical, almost scientific, level, suggesting the tribune views the world in precise, analytical terms.
Lists of Synonyms and Related Terms: The frequent use of lists ("pugilist to edulcorate machismo," "pugilistic terrors of the mikado, contessa, Caesar, rajah, enfanterible rex") creates a rhythmic, almost incantatory effect. It also highlights the speaker's vast knowledge and the universality of the tribune's power across different cultures and titles.
Archaic and Obscure Language: Words like "maund," "neddy," "misandries," and "pepping toms" are highly unusual in modern English. This deliberate choice makes the poem feel ancient and timeless, perhaps suggesting the tribune's story is an archetype of leadership and power that transcends history.
VI. Interpretation of Key Stanzas
Stanzas 1-2: The opening sets the scene by defining what the tribune isn't doing—he isn't using a simple "jawbone hit" or just taking a bow. Instead, his arrival is a grand spectacle, a "recumbent hoist" that "belchs him regalia" in complex, dignified shapes. This immediately establishes his power as sophisticated, not merely brute force.
Stanza 3: A "seniled martriarch" provides crucial context, stating, "You Ve got be a pugilist to edulcorate machismo." This suggests that raw power needs refinement ("edulcorate" means to sweeten or refine) to be effective in the dangerous "raving streets."
Stanzas 5-7: The description of the pugilist's "melon" (head/mind) being full of "physics emptied in his backyard" suggests a life defined by physical conflict and learned experience. He faces down the "mighty and the dopy" with disdain. The mention of "pugilistic terrors" with golf equipment ("cleek, midiron, iron, putter") used as weapons adds a layer of unexpected contrast, juxtaposing refined sports with violence.
Stanzas 8-9: A lengthy list of insults ("Milksops, pantywaists, wimps") contrasts the tribune's strength with those who are weak or fearful ("aphonia paralytical," "loss of speech"). This section emphasizes the fear and silence that his presence inspires.
Stanzas 12-14: The tribune achieves a "glorious land" and attracts "minions" and "sycophants." He becomes a figure of order ("Miranda rules"), a "metropolitan of justice," though he delivers it through "mob justice" using imagery of both donkeys ("jenny, pony, jackass") and machine guns ("submachine gun, gaitlin gun"). This highlights the duality of his power: perhaps sometimes primitive and basic, other times brutally modern and efficient.
"A Tribune At Demilune" is a challenging but masterful exercise in language and character study. It presents an intimidating leader who uses overwhelming force, refined through experience, to navigate a savage world. The poet's use of an enormous, technical vocabulary serves to mystify the figure, much like the final line suggests: the "mysticism of a tribune at demilune" is a complex, almost indecipherable phenomenon.
For further information on poetic devices used in this work, you can refer to the Poetry Foundation's glossary.
V. Detailed Analysis of Poetic Devices
VII. Concluding Summary
The following analysis offers a final continuation by focusing on the philosophical implications of the poem's themes and language choices.
VIII. Philosophical Implications
The poem goes beyond a simple character study; it appears to be a commentary on the nature of power, masculinity, and the establishment of order in a chaotic world.
The Nature of Machismo: The poem critiques or explores "machismo" not just as raw, aggressive behavior, but as something that must be "edulcorated" (refined or sweetened). The tribune’s journey is from a street fighter to a "tribune" and "metropolitan of justice," suggesting that primal strength must evolve into a structured (albeit harsh) form of authority to gain legitimacy and followers.
The Paradox of Justice: The poem presents a deeply cynical view of justice. The tribune is hailed as a "metropolitan of justice," but the mechanisms he uses are "mob justice," "submachine gun," and "gaitlin gun." The phrase "broken justice" is used twice, highlighting the inherent corruption or necessary brutality of the order he imposes. The "Miranda rules" are mentioned ironically, perhaps suggesting a superficial adherence to legal norms while the underlying enforcement remains violent.
The Role of Language and Mysticism: The poet's choice to use highly inaccessible language reflects the "mysticism" described in the final lines. By making the poem difficult to decipher, the poet mirrors the idea that true power is often opaque, intimidating, and ultimately beyond the full understanding of the "hoi polloi" (common people) it governs. The density of the vocabulary acts as a linguistic barrier, separating the "tribune" (and the poet) from the average reader, much as the tribune is separated by his "rarefied monocles."
IX. Conclusion
"A Tribune At Demilune" is a powerful and challenging work that demands intellectual engagement from its audience. It uses a dizzying array of vocabulary to construct a figure of intimidating charisma who rises to power through strength, refined violence, and a complex form of "broken justice." The poem ultimately posits that the nature of such a leader and his authority remains an enduring "mysticism" that resists easy explanation.
For further academic resources on literary analysis and interpreting complex poetry, you can browse academic databases or the guides available on sites such as the Modern American Poetry (MAP) site.
