Ars Poetica

I choose "Ars Poetica" by Archibald MacLeish to discuss two poetic elements about today. I really enjoy this poem. I would like to discuss the language used and the rhythm he captured in his lines.

The language, first and foremost, is excellent. he uses descriptive words and lots of verbs to paint the picture of his imagination for you. He uses several adjectives that make you stop and think with each line, such as "Dumb", "silent", "night-entangled". I think his diction is brilliant as well. The poem has a very casual diction to me. I read it as if I'm sitting in a lecture given by Robin William's character in Dead Poet's Society. He chooses words that really examine the beingness of the poem, and repeats a few lines to reinforce his point.

The rhythm he uses for this poem is very effective. It contains short, to the point lines, and a great set up. Some lines begin with only two or so words, and make the reader feel the need to take a pause before going on to the next line. This created a great ambiance in the descriptions he provided. I really enjoyed it.