Introduction
The poem Form a Study Group is an exciting example to consider and analyze. The author’s message is that of a swaggering way of life that looks ironically at the process of education and taking one’s life seriously. The title, in this case, symbolizes an inner irony because there is a clear contrast between a relatively formal task name and a carefree lifestyle with parties and drug usage. The manner is demonstrated in the narrator’s person – a carefree person is described, with certain disapproval possible to read between the lines. The basic situation here is life’s image: “In lieu of study I chased skirts, could not resist a girl that flirts” (KyRenn, 2013, line 1). The setting, in turn, is a description of life here and now, albeit with an element of consciousness. The conflict in this poem is the contrast between adulthood and foresight, “just seize the joy while it is there, for when you’re eighty, you won’t care” (KyRenn, 2013, line 19). Thus, this multifaceted poem needs to be analyzed in terms of the speaker, subject, tone, voice, and word order.
Analysis
First, one must identify the crucial aspects of the poem’s contextual meaning. For example, in this case, the speaker is the person following the described irresponsible lifestyle. The theme of his discourse is the pointlessness of responsibility and the rejection of drugs, parties, and other recreational activities. The setting and the situation, in this case, correlate in their character, referring to the problem of the perception of adolescents in modern society. Feeling and tone allow the reader to understand that irony and inner regrets are combined, though they may vary according to a reader’s mood and associations. Based on personal feelings, one gets the impression of a character that may be described as someone in the middle or nearer the end of life’s journey, quoting and mocking his old self. A described situation such as “I think to change, but mind reverts – exciting curves” demonstrates the lyrical hero’s inability to appeal to common sense and sober reasoning (KyRenn, 2013, par. 4). All of the above creates the personal feeling that this story seems to be filled with inner regret and nostalgia.
As mentioned earlier, this is a supposedly older man discussing his past, and there is the usual monologue, as the addressee of the speeches is not characterized in any way. However, the reasoning of such speeches may represent an act of self-blaming. In addition, paying attention to the word choice, which, as mentioned, gives the impression of inner regret, sums up the overall atmosphere and message of the poem presented. The diction here appears to consist of old-fashioned phrases, yet how the words are used is relatively youthful. Such a combination is the key factor that lets the reader assume that there is a retrospective that takes place. Furthermore, it affects the poem’s overall meaning, creating additional connotational and denotational information layers to analyze. The tone itself, though, remains the same, as it is the overall atmosphere that creates the above-described feeling, not a specific manner or direct inquiries as to what the meaning is in this case. Thus, an additional examination of the poem’s distinct features regarding the writing style serves as additional proof that there is an ambiguity that the author left.
Additionally, the poetic devices used by the author deserve attention. In particular, the shape can be denoted by the words “girl,” “drugs,” “joy,” and “curves,” representing the inability to resist inert feelings (KyRenn, 2013). This poem can be classified as acrostic due to the rhyme tempos. There are six stanzas, while the foot and meter for each line vary throughout the writing, from anapestic to trochaic and monometer to tetrameter. The rhyme scheme goes as “AAAA, BBBB, ABAB, CCCC, DDDD, CDCD,” according to the author’s comments (KyRenn, 2013, par. 2). The meter type for each line is inconsistent, primarily accentual-syllabic, while its type is mono-rhyme. Thus, the technical structure of Form a Study Group is typical yet accurate because it follows the standard rules of writing.
The reason for my choice to conduct a detailed examination is based on the author’s personality and the overall style of her writings. It was an exciting experience that gave me the practical and theoretical knowledge I needed for subsequent analyses. There is also variability, where it is difficult to determine whether it is a dialogue or a monologue, an inner regret or a worldview. In the demonstration of ambiguity, it seems, lies the fundamental motivation of the author, a desire to show how an inner regret lies even in the most explicit text, filled with irony. It is worth noting that such a thought inevitably refers the reader to a reflection on how one should treat one’s future. Accordingly, such a motive may also have been present in the poet’s writing. Demonstrating this experience made me realize that poetry is ambiguous in its very essence, and it prompts me to turn to philosophy, philology, and a host of other humanities.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the poem presented is multifaceted and fascinating to analyze, as it contains deep connotational and denotational meanings in combination with professional, technical performance. Based on all of the above, it can be assumed that the author has a deep knowledge of the structuring of thoughts, referring one to the culture of meta-modernity, the concept of accessible narrative. Following my analysis of the other poems of this author, one can conclude that a similar flow of thoughts and ideas is a common leitmotif. Moreover, technically these works are similar and borrow from both technical and semantic elements. Such a conclusion directly demonstrates KyRenn’s desire to manifest the ideas described above.
Reference
KyRenn, L. (2013). Form a study group. Poetry Forms.