# Poem & Epistle: understanding the metaphor’s use



## RHPeat (Jul 29, 2017)

*The Metaphor
*
Much is won or lost with one’s skill 
and cunning with the blade; if the steel 
is to make its fatal mark and bend 
a contender to his humbled knees.

The metal should be a well known piece
from the gripped handle to the point
with a knowledge of it’s double edge;
a sharpness that cuts either way to the heart.

One’s offensive and defensive moves
are everything in this close disparity;
Thrust and parry must be well engaged,
understood in this fixed art of conflict.

The weapon can only be as deadly 
as the user is trained and accomplished
in his decisive actions toward the moment; 
a life is drawn within the balance here.

©  RH Peat  8/11/09  9:19am
Opposing sides of the metaphor: 
As well as the reader and the poet.
____________________________________
*
Epistle: understanding the metaphor’s use
*
Our language each day is loaded with comparisons. Metaphors and similes are everywhere. We couldn't exist without them. Poetry just heightens the metaphoric principles of language through the use of figurative language. For metaphors are like stuffing Pandora's box every day within a poem with each reading of the poem. They contain far more than what they say about what's visible. Their textures and sound also add to the poem’s clarity. 

I asked all my students once to submit to me what they thought 
…………………..[/FONT] 'the child is father to the man' 
means to them, from Wordsworth's Rainbow poem; everyone had a different answer. That's the point. Poetry is subconscious and suggestive but precise at the same time. They were all correct in their assumptions, but their assumptions were taken to very different levels of understanding. Everyone approaches the poem from their own spiritual awareness of the universe, their personal space. 

That's why it is said that poetry shows and doesn't tell. But even beyond that it is existence in the breathing moment. That’s why it is inclusive and not exclusive as well. The intent in metaphor is like the tip of the iceberg. It is 10 percent above the level of perception and 90 percent below the level of perception. This is what creates the poetic epiphany within another: personal revelation inside the reader. That's what poets should be after. Not just telling a story. But having the story-line reveal, deliver the epiphany to the reader. Poetry is the celebration of life and death in a single breath. Poems are about our humanity. 

If you define, describe or tell the meaning of the poem you kill the epiphany for the reader. The written no longer contains any humanity. But if the reader gets their epiphany they are a part of the poem forever. Then the reader is changed to the poet's point in hand; they have become a part of the poet’s poem. This is humanity; it shares the human experience of being within the moment that is the poem itself.

This is the skill of writing. Bring the readers to you; deliver their hearts to you; not to sermonize them into rebellion. The poem has to be a gentle nudge or tug upon their heart strings even if it is rebellious by nature, like an anti-war poem: like "Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owens. It kicks ass, but at the same time it tears into your heart to realize that the man is fighting and looking into the eyes of the dying each day. It is a powerhouse of a poem that will haunt you the rest of your life after reading it. It speaks of the times and the future as well. It makes you see the horrible side of man staring back at you on the other side of your mirror. The epiphany of that poem engraves the flesh of your heart. And it makes you see you could be there as well. It is a human, being human within all the complexities of being human. 

But at the same time so is Wordsworth's "A Host Of Golden Daffodils." or Bryant's "The Wayfarer" This is what makes poetry timeless in it's nature, Like Rilke's “Panther” in the zoo in Paris. The poem chases after you even when the book is set down. It gnaws on the rag bones of your heart, as Yeats would say. 

The poem swallows you and makes you a part of its very life. You the reader become part of the poem. And vis versa. The poem is part of you as well each day forward. Like Neruda's Ode to a Child's toes. You just can't think about a child or it's toes the same again. You're changed; the mundane has been lifted to the status of revelation by the imprinting of your eyes with the vision of poet’s eyes. Learning to use language is what it is all about. 

HOW TO SAY IT WITHOUT SAYING IT. HOW TO UPLIFT WITHOUT THE READER KNOWING THEY ARE BEING UPLIFTED. THAT NUDGE OF THE HEART TOWARD ITS OWN REALITY OF PRESENCE FOR WHAT IT CAN UNDERSTAND.  

This is why maintaining a conscious level in the poem is important as well as understanding that the poem has many levels of awareness at the same time. That the writer writes for all levels of understanding at the same time from the simple story line to all the depths of the metaphor. They are all interconnected in the end. They are all corralled within the poem in a way throughout the overall poem. And it is left up to the reader to seek out their own level of perception for their personal epiphany.  

But the writer needs to be aware enough to show that these levels of understanding all exist. He should NOT expect the reader to get all the depths of understanding in one reading. A poem needs to be read over and over again to reach it's submerged realities of greater concern. So just enough of the intent for epiphany has to lead the reader to the water hole. But it has to be left to them to drink or not. That's why some will grab a poem and run with it; while others will stumble over it at every turn within the poem. 

If too many are stumbling there is a problem with the poem. If too many are forgetting it after reading the poem, there is a problem with the poem. You want the poem to be revisited. You have to write the poem in a manner that allows it to be revisited. Metaphors help this very process. 

A poet friend
RH Peat

Addendum:
There is a certain kind of metaphor that can ruin a good poem. It's the "of" metaphor. Statement below:




			
				RHPeat said:
			
		

> [FONT=&quot]
> 
> 
> My objection isn't the word "of" at all; it is the use of the word as a device between the t*wo sides of a metaphor, or figurative usage*: that would be the *tenor* as the term for the *principal subject* and *vehicle* for the term for the *secondary subject* of the metaphor, sometimes the *tenor* is implied rather than expressed. Example _"that cur is a disgrace to the party._" Implied — "_Man" as the "cur_". that's actually a bit of metonymy. Metonymy: (the substitution of the name of an attribute or adjunct for that of the thing meant, for example: _suit_ for _business executive_, or _the track_ for _horse racing_.)
> ...


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## Robbie (Jul 29, 2017)

This is excellent Ron. I will save it and savor what you have written. Thank you.,


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## Robbie (Jul 29, 2017)

The poem says it all, the entire poem but this stanza will stick with me for a long time.  Met 3 is where we train and learn
and accomplish.  

[FONT=.SF UI Text][FONT=.SFUIText]The weapon can only be as deadly [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=.SF UI Text][FONT=.SFUIText]as the user is trained and accomplished[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=.SF UI Text][FONT=.SFUIText]in his decisive actions toward the moment; [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=.SF UI Text][FONT=.SFUIText]a life is drawn within the balance here.[/FONT][/FONT]


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## PiP (Jul 29, 2017)

> If you define, describe or tell the meaning of the poem you kill the epiphany for the reader.



This is what I still struggle with.


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## Robbie (Jul 29, 2017)

I think we all do Carole.


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## RHPeat (Jul 29, 2017)

Robbie said:


> The poem says it all, the entire poem but this stanza will stick with me for a long time.  Met 3 is where we train and learn
> and accomplish.
> 
> [FONT=.SF UI Text][FONT=.SFUIText]The weapon can only be as deadly [/FONT][/FONT]
> ...



Robbie
I would definitely hope so. I do think that we try to touch this part of each outer within our workshop forum. It is part of the reason why the forum is very open to allow anything to be said. "Where there's life there is danger". How can you love the craft without being able to make yourself vulnerable at the same time. Our few rules are our only saving grace. They are there only to state purpose and intent while maintaining order on a communal level. To treat each other with respect. When you are able to speak about this openly you make me realize that we have it all together in the workshop. Thanx for stating this; you don't know how much it truly means to me. 

a poet friend
RH Peat


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## RHPeat (Jul 29, 2017)

PiP said:


> This is what I still struggle with.



Carole

This is wonderful to hear from you. I've been in your struggle for quite some time now with a quantity of critiques. And I have to say with your statement here comes great honors. For seeing the flaw allows it to change. I now have great expectations on reading the next poem. Love ya always. Planning on being harder than hell on you in the future. 

:hell_pawn:

The dark and sinister poet friend
RH Peat


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## PiP (Jul 29, 2017)

> If you define, describe or tell the meaning of the poem you kill the epiphany for the reader.





RHPeat said:


> Carole
> 
> This is wonderful to hear from you. I've been in your struggle for quite some time now with a quantity of critiques. And I have to say with your statement here comes great honors. For seeing the flaw allows it to change. I now have great expectations on reading the next poem. Love ya always. Planning on being harder than hell on you in the future.
> 
> ...



OMG... I am doomed! :hororr::sylvestertweety:





> Everyone approaches the poem from their own spiritual awareness of the universe, their personal space.
> 
> That's why it is said that poetry shows and doesn't tell. But even beyond that it is existence in the breathing moment. That’s why it is inclusive and not exclusive as well. The intent in metaphor is like the tip of the iceberg. It is 10 percent above the level of perception and 90 percent below the level of perception. This is what creates the poetic epiphany within another: personal revelation inside the reader. That's what poets should be after. Not just telling a story. But having the story line reveals, delivers the epiphany to the reader. Poetry is the celebration of life and death in a single breath. Poems are about our humanity.
> 
> If you define, describe or tell the meaning of the poem you kill the epiphany for the reader. The written no longer contains any humanity. But if the reader gets their epiphany they are a part of the poem forever. Then the reader is changed to the poet's point in hand; they have become a part of the poet’s poem. This is humanity; it shares the human experience of being within the moment that is the poem itself.



So true!  I wonder if you post a poem and invite 10 people (not necessarily poets) for the meaning behind the words how much their interpretations vary and how close they are to the original intent.


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## Firemajic (Jul 29, 2017)

RHPeat said:


> *The Metaphor
> *
> Much is won or lost with one’s skill
> and cunning with the blade; if the steel
> ...


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## RHPeat (Jul 29, 2017)

FireMajic

Oh my Gosh. That's not the point at all. 
Don't give up writing. This was written to make you want to write more and better. Besides you have more broomsticks to burn in wildfires and back drafts. Take your own match to the fireplace girl. You got what it takes. I've critiqued a few of your poems and I see the duende in the torchlight singeing my eyebrows. I've read your poems where you carved flesh off my bones. You know how to empower words. If I were to say something specific to you it would be, _"Don't over do it!"_ Leave more to the reader to experience internally. instigate it and set them free with flames in their shorts. Because you know how to grab them and pull them into the experience already. Maintain them there inside themselves. If your readers became enticed fish you'd have string of them every day for the table. You can count on that. 

You have a powerful personal voice. You can make emotion very personal as well. But it can easily go over the top when you do that in a single poem. 

Believe it or not I've suffered the same thing in poems. A good rewrite can make a huge difference for me. Because it is easy for me to go overboard with the amount of information in the poem. It's always been that way because I am very imaginative. 

Just a few days ago I took a poem from 1995 and just cut it back all the way through the poem where I was over writing the lines and it really improved the poem. I'd distanced myself from the poem over all those years. PiP gave me a great critique on the poem as well. I think I added a line to the poem because of her. And Robbie a very insightful reader gave me a fantastic review about the intent in the poem and nailed it. 

a poet friend 
RH Peat


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## RHPeat (Jul 29, 2017)

Carole 

Don't worry 
in doom and gloom, too much; Tweety Pie always gets away from Sylvester. Then Sylvester hangs a stupid face on himself and stares blankly into the camera. 

a poet friend
RH Peat


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## Pulse (Aug 11, 2017)

Ron,

Your image of a 'water hole' reminds me of Sigmund Freud's comment; he is reported to have claimed ‘the poets and philosophers before me discovered the unconscious; what I discovered was the scientific method by which the unconscious can be studied’.[1]  Freud went on, admiringly, to create his own metaphor: ‘Poets are masters of us ordinary men, in knowledge of the mind, because they drink at streams which we have not yet made accessible to science’.[2]  A thought process is required to convert feeling into poetry and the refreshment can be shared.

If a reader needs to read the poem more than once, the writer has to make the poem interesting or attractive enough to encourage rereading.

[1] _Lehrman,  Philip R_. _in 'Freud's Contributions to Science', in the journal_ '_Harofe Haivri_' _Vol.1,_ _1940._ < http://www.freud.org.uk/about/faq/> consulted 18.05.2011.

[2] Trilling, Lionel, ‘Freud and Literature’, 1940 <http://www.rlwclarke.net/Courses/LITS3303/2008-2009/07BTrillingFreudandLiterature.pdf> consulted 18.05.2011.


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## midnightpoet (Aug 11, 2017)

I do find it difficult creating that delicate balance that shows enough clarity that makes the reader think (even if it's misinterpreted) and being so obscure that the reader fails to care.  I have read poetry here and elsewhere - many published - that seemed to say I've got a secret and you'll play heck figuring it out.  Many poems and novels have been lauded by professional critics for deep meanings the piece didn't even have.  Despite the difficulties I poet on, with each poem I learn more and more about the craft as I attempt to make art.


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