Analysis of What If I Were a Shadowless Man?



What if I were a shadowless man,
marvelous work none could see,
no cameras that me could scan,
a hideous sight ‘twould be!

Would you my company try to seek,
or dodge me like a bullet?
Would you consider me a freak,
put away in some closet?

Would you sincerely call me friend,
a bosom friend you cherish,
not me to hide but to defend,
a good friend without blemish?

Would you clothe me in your finest robe
despite my lack of visage,
parade me ‘cross the human globe,
a spectacle with message?

Would you berate my countenance,
not say it is disfigured;
instead, appraise its difference,
of common sense configured?

Would you in ignorance not chide me,
not be unkind in any way,
belittle me to some degree,
but hold me high midst the fray?

What if I were a shadowless man,
an outlander species born,
would you then my company ban,
hold me up to every scorn?

What if I were a shadowless man,
by kith and kin e’er entwined,
tied to your blood since dawn began,
would I be to you enshrined?


Scheme Abab cdcd efef ghgh ijij bkbk Alal Amam
Poetic Form Quatrain 
Metre 1110011 1001111 11001111 0100111 111100111 1111010 11010101 1010110 11010111 0101110 11111101 0110110 111101101 0111110 01110101 0100110 11011100 1111010 01011100 1101010 110100111 11010101 01011101 1111101 1110011 11101 11111001 11111001 1110011 1101101 11111101 1111101
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 997
Words 222
Sentences 9
Stanzas 8
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 32
Letters per line (avg) 24
Words per line (avg) 6
Letters per stanza (avg) 96
Words per stanza (avg) 23

About this poem

This poem, “What If I Were a Shadowless Man,” takes its title from the 1813 literary production of Adelbert von Chamisso, French-German writer, botanist, and poet (1781-1837), in a work entitled “The Marvelous History of the Shadowless man.” This current poem employs the title of Chamisso’s nineteenth century work as a point of departure, to encourage its readers to pursue or at least consider an introspective investigation of the social, cultural, political, economic , and psychological underpinnings that, consciously or unconsciously, undergird the collective notion of “Self” and “Other;” how we, made in the image of humankind, regard some among us, as foreigners, strangers, or immigrants, even at times, as foe, distinguishing them from those we esteem and consider as friends, comrades, patriots, or families.  

Font size:
 

Written on November 15, 2021

Submitted by karlcfolkes on November 15, 2021

Modified on April 07, 2023

1:06 min read
874

Karl Constantine FOLKES

Retired educator of Jamaican ancestry with a lifelong interest in composing poetry dealing particularly with the metaphysics of self-reflection; completed a dissertation in Children’s Literature in 1991 at New York University entitled: An Analysis of Wilhelm Grimm’s “Dear Mili” Employing Von Franzian Methodological Processes of Analytical Psychology. The subject of the dissertation concerned the process of Individuation. more…

All Karl Constantine FOLKES poems | Karl Constantine FOLKES Books

57 fans

Discuss this Karl Constantine FOLKES poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "What If I Were a Shadowless Man?" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 26 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/114065/what-if-i-were-a-shadowless-man%3F>.

    Become a member!

    Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

    April 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    4
    days
    18
    hours
    53
    minutes

    Special Program

    Earn Rewards!

    Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

    Browse Poetry.com

    Quiz

    Are you a poetry master?

    »
    Who is the author of the poem "The Raven"?
    A Robert Frost
    B Edgar Allan Poe
    C Emily Dickinson
    D Langston Hughes