The Analysis Of The Poem “Toad” by William Stafford Poem Review

Introduction

The present essay is focused on the alternate approach to the analysis of the poem “Toad” by William Stafford. This approach aims to reach an interpretation of the poem’s theme through the concentration on the speaker. The speaker differs from the writer and can’t be analyzed in the mentioned way, because despite the fact that poetry often shows the writer’s views and attitudes, his way of living, there is also a great factor of creative mastery in the poetry too.

In addition, it has to be noted also that the poems of William Stafford create a special sense – a sense of being at home in the world of his poetry. Therefore, it is a specially pleasant and inspiring task to research the elements of Stafford’s poetic legacy, including his poem “Toad”.

  1. The theme of the poem “Toad”

The poem’s theme is the embodiment of the narrator in the character of the toad. In the poem “Toad”, its subject is seen as the human-like creature, like one of many other dreamers on the planet Earth.  This portrait is connected with the narrator: moreover, it seems that the feelings of speaker are expressed in this portrait of toad, because it is likely that the speaker is the helpless dreamer too, like the creature that is so brilliantly described in the poem of William Stafford.

Also, there is a need to distinguish the surface of the poem in which we can see the main protagonist itself, and enjoy the poetic forms employed by speaker; and philosophical side of it which involves the beautiful allegory of the dreamers in general. Thus, in this philosophical aspect, the speaker communicates in the indirect form the feelings many people have about everyday life and eternal issues, and at the same time in many ways emphasizes the importance of dreaming, no matter of the life conditions and circumstances.

  1. The research issues and the revealed characteristics of the speaker

The essay researches the following issues: what can be inferred about narrator based on how he/she views the toad, the special uses of language employed by narrator, his/her attitude toward the toad, and why he/she holds that attitude. It has to be noted that revealing of narrator’s characteristics is valuable and particularly interesting in this case, because the presumptions about the person behind the poem are to be made through his unusual, funny, romantic, and intimate view on poem’s subject, a toad.

The speaker in the poem reflects on its subject, the toad, by giving this creature a true poetic touch, for example: “…kind of a drain for sound, reminding of canyons in the ocean and of how birds dream their songs”.  The toad’s behavior, life events and interests are described in a beautiful playful language with a slight hint of humor in it, for instance in the beginning of the poem: “Hop, hope…Hunch, lunch….”

The narrator definitely feels the sympathy for the toad; it can be noticed in the special uses of poetic combinations employed by him/her to describe the protagonist of the poem: “hometown calm one”, “summer slummer” and “soft night learner”.

The poetic imagination which created a plot of this short poem, in a general respect, appears to be inspired by small vitalizing fragments and moments of life. The text of the poem demonstrates the importance to have an ability to dream for everyone, every creature.

The initial condition of the narrator is apparently marked by boredom, when he/she starts his observation of the toad, following its movements: “Hop, hope. Hop again. Hunch, lunch. Hunch on then…” The imagination of the narrator then develops the plot, indirectly pointing at the elements of dreaming in the toads’ activities:  “Corner blinker, eyes that come on, hometown calm one — toward stars you stared, a look moths rode. Stars are still there.”

Conclusion

On the whole, the poem “Toad” feels like a reflective poetic adventure, which lacks concrete circumstantiality; it is fluent, and full of beautiful poetic forms. The narrator feels the sympathy for the protagonist of the poem and possibly associates him/her or other helpless dreamers with toad.  The speaker masterfully emphasizes the importance of dreaming, despite of the life circumstances. The dreamers should not stop to dream their dreams, to look at the stars, because “stars are still there”, and the place or position they look from is not so important.   It’s captivating to follow the speaker’s description of the toad as an allegory of the all dreamers in general, and also to find the readers’ pleasure is small details of this poem, such as mentioning of sound “reminding of canyons in the ocean” and “of how birds dream their songs”.

 

 

The terms offer and acceptance. (2016, May 17). Retrieved from

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016.

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

freeessays.club (2016) The terms offer and acceptance [Online].
Available at:

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]
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