Analysis of A Memorial Day



A Memorial Day
By William He

Intense atmosphere of solemnity,
Holding the deceased in reverence,
That white flower blew off may a flower no more now.
The look a dying person gives is green,
with the penetrating dampness of tears of candle there.
Half-acre square pond sneers at the trouble of parting,
Sobbing with a heavy breath,.
Survivors remain exactly as they are.
Peculiar knocking sounds,
At the Doorway to Hell,
Papermen get in the dark as well.

Demise is well-composed music for an unwritten lyric.
Poltergeist in spring,
All drama starts with life and ends with the death
Filled by the silent sound,
Specter goes through the street dressed as a broom.
The gloomy mood moving through the time tunnel,
Fantom steps can be heard there,
No matter how hard they are to hear.
We drowning inside our hearts,
The underworld and our world,
We live falling out of flesh into spirit then.

声声慢 清明
作者:何威廉

玄玄穆穆,
敬敬恭恭,
沉沉郁郁续续。
黛叶柔条,
烟缕曳摇阴烛。
池塘半亩嫩草,
向碧波、
欲伸还伏。
试击叩,
水边门、
已是纸人浮目。

白蝶颜惊头缩。
春影倒、
罗浮旧时魂哭。
巷陌愔然,
怕惹是非堕局。
愁来略斜鬓角,
忽幽灵、
语速话曲。
念去路,
两界辨、
寥寂自赎。


Scheme XA AXXXBCDXXEE XCDXXXBXXXX
Poetic Form
Metre 001001 1101 011010100 100010100 1110111010111 0101010111 1010010111101 1101111010110 1010101 01001010111 010101 10111 1100111 011101101101010 1001 11011101101 110101 1011011101 01011010110 111111 110111111 11001101 0100101 111011101101 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Closest metre Iambic dimeter
Characters 1,312
Words 203
Sentences 10
Stanzas 6
Stanza Lengths 2, 11, 11, 2, 11, 11
Lines Amount 48
Letters per line (avg) 15
Words per line (avg) 4
Letters per stanza (avg) 118
Words per stanza (avg) 29

About this poem

Through its imagery and evocative language, the poem captures the intensity of emotion associated with commemorating the deceased, while also delving into deeper questions about the meaning of life and death.The poem's structure mirrors its themes, with fragmented lines and disjointed imagery reflecting the disorienting experience of grappling with death. This unconventional structure adds to the poem's sense of unease, inviting readers to confront the existential questions it raises.  

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Written on April 01, 2024

Submitted by chinamcc8 on April 01, 2024

Modified by chinamcc8 on April 02, 2024

1:00 min read
131

William He

William Yu He graduated from two of the most prestigious law schools in China respectively, also studied in Heidelberg, Cambridge and Harvard. He has already published dozens of Chinese classical poems and lyrics. The Incumbent President of China quoted his classic poem in 2017. The President of Harvard University recognized his achievements in June, 2021. more…

All William He poems | William He Books

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    "A Memorial Day" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 16 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/184089/a-memorial-day>.

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