Poetry ~ Part 3

Today’s article is the last part to our Poetry series. I think that I will discuss some classics and their authors next. But for today, I have some more types of poems that I would like to share with all of you.

Elegy

The elegy is “a short poem written in pairs of unrhymed lines, often on themes of war, love, or death and [is] also used for epitaphs in which the dead speak in the first person (Anderson, 315).” Both the elegy and the epigram, which is below, were mostly used by the Greeks and sometimes, the Romans. Also, both of these poems were mostly about death although they can be about war or love according to the definition above. Here is an example of an elegy:

The Brevity of Life
Attributed to Semonides

One verse by the blind poet of Chios in indelible:
“The life of man is like a summer’s leaf.”
Yet few who hear these words take them into their heart,
for hope is rooted in every youthful soul,
the lovely flower of youth grows tall with color,
life will have no end,
or there is no place for growing old, for death;
and while in health, no fear of foul disease.
Poor fools! in islands of illusion,
for men have but a day of youth and life.
You few who understand, know when death is near
the food you give your soul must be supreme.

As anyone can see, that was a pretty depressing poem about death. Semonides was a 7th century Greek poet and a pagan worshipping the Greek gods like many in his day. This poem and the one I will give as an example for the epigram are both completely different from poems written by Christians such as “The Dying Christian to His Soul” by Alexander Pope or “Death be Not Proud” by John Donne. Both Pope and Donne were British poets if you were wondering. Also take note about how not all of the lines of the elegy above are capitalized.

Epigram

The epigram is another type of Greek poetry, but is mostly written as tombstone inscriptions. I spoke about elegies and epigrams in general above. Here is an example of an epigram by Callimachus who preferred shorter poetry to the more common epic. He was a Greek poet and scholar of the 3rd century B.C. The translations for this poem differs so the title or even some of the words might not line up with certain sources.

Elegy for Heraclitus
by Callimachus

 

THEY told me, Heraclitus, they told me you were dead,  
They brought me bitter news to hear and bitter tears to shed.  
I wept as I remember'd how often you and I  
Had tired the sun with talking and sent him down the sky.  

 And now that thou art lying, my dear old Carian guest

A handful of grey ashes, long, long ago at rest,  

Still are thy pleasant voices, thy nightingales, awake;  

For Death, he taketh all away, but them he cannot take.

Parallelism

            This is not really a type of poetry, but more of a poetry style. This poetry style is mostly seen in the book of Psalms. Parallelism is seen when two lines in a poem follow the same construction or pattern. There are three ways that parallelism can be developed in the poem. The first way is repetition; the first line states something and the second repeats the thoughts using different words and synonyms. An example of this is Psalms 24:1.

“The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof;
the world, and they that dwell therein.

Parallelism can also be developed by contrast. The first and second lines each contrast a different thing, such as a result. Proverbs 3:5 employs this method when it says:

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart;
and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Another way, parallelism can be developed is through examples such as the passage Psalms 19:7 does.

The law of the Lord is perfect,
converting the soul:
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple.

Note: The verses might not actually divide as I placed it above. I divided some of the lines to show parallelism more clearly. By the way, comment below on your favorite poem whether it be from the Bible or written by a prominent British or American poet.

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I will close this article with Psalm 84:10, which is another verse from Psalms that shows parallelism by contrast. See if you can tell which part does that. “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.” This verse states that we can find true satisfaction only in aiming to glorify Christ and emulating Him. Knowing that your Heavenly Father is protecting you is much greater than having all the attention and friends in the world. Let us realize what truly matters and pursue His commands.