Widowed
Hardly a day passes That she doesn’t work In her garden – pruning and weeding On bended knees, Watching the dance of bees In clumps of lantana Overgrowing her paths. She pauses longest Among the roses – fingering petals and buds As if they were the hem Of a wedding or christening dress – Shyly, almost reluctant. Again and again She returns to a hedge Or vine – stands As though waiting For something to happen. Kneeling on leaves She won’t burn, On decayed rain That has turned to moss, She tends to violets and marigolds – Her dress gathered about her Like a garment of ceremony: Her face overshadowed By a hat which summer can’t pierce, Her future entangled Among thorns and evergreens. Peter Skrzynecki |
Widowed Analysis
‘Widowed’ is a poem composed by Peter Skrzyneck; it is a ‘free verse’ poem, which means that it does not have a regular rhyme or meter. The poem ‘Widowed’ is about a woman gardening. It’s not only about her gardening and being a widow but it’s also about the woman reflecting on her past. The woman is reflecting on her past through the movements and description of her gardening. She is portraying what she once had but now no longer has. Memories of the big events she shared with her late husband, and also things she might not be able to ever have or experience. There are many themes portrayed in the poem Themes such as love, loss, grief and sadness. The message that Skrzyneck is trying to communicate with the readers is that sometimes it’s hard to move on with life if such an important person is no longer a part of it. The poem portrays a widow gardening in her garden and trying to get on with things. Although she is physically there, her mind is lost. She is frozen in time and isolated in grief and sadness. Skryzneck is saying that although someone who has gone through a difficult time may seem like they’re moving on, they might already be lost inside. The emotion that is created in the poem is sadness. Sadness, because the poem is portraying a woman who although has lost so much is still trying to get on with things in life, but is still haunted with memories. While she is gardening memories of what she once had and now may never have is going through her mind. The tone of peacefulness is also shows because of the setting of the poem. The poem is set during a summer afternoon where a woman is peacefully gardening. There are many language techniques used throughout this poem. A language technique used was personification. An example of personification is ‘hat which summer can’t pierce’. This helps contrast, summer which is a joyful time where flowers bloom but she is in the shade/dark covered by the hat. It is as if life, which in the poem is ‘summer’, is going on but she is stuck in time, lonely and unhappy. The woman is shading herself off from the world going on around her. Another language technique used is simile. An example of this is ‘petals and buds’ like ‘hem of a wedding or christening dress. It is effectively used because it illustrates a link of a life she used to have and memories of big events. My personal opinion for the poem ‘Widowed’ is that it is very well written. I love how the poet does not tell the whole story of the woman being a widow in a straightforward form but instead told the story though the woman gardening. As the woman is gardening she gets flash backs of old happy memories and I think that this is very beautifully written. It has the right mix of emotions. One of my favorite class poems. By Noratisha Abdullah |