A Decade

A Decade

Upon first reading Amy Lowell’s poem “A Decade” appears to be a poem about a couple who has met each other and saying how sweet they are like honey and red wine Then it says you are fresh like morning bread. Then ending with how they become completely nourished. After reading this poem several times it becomes clear that a message exists in this poem. The message says that passion may decrease in a long-term relationship, but love still goes on in the relationship. Devices that help this message become true are similes, hyperbole, white space and symbolism. There are two similes in the poem. The first one states that “When you came you were like red wine and honey.” This means they were sweet and there was a lot of passion in the beginning. The second simile says that “Now you are like morning bread.” This is suppose to mean your passion is gone, but there is still love in the relationship. Symbolism of the title is another device use to describe this message. A Decade means that the couple has been together for ten years and they love each other a lot. Hyperbole is the third device used to describe this poem. When they say “The taste of you burnt my mouth with is sweetness. How can something be so sweet that it will burn their mouth’s very badly? The last device is white space. If you turn you book so that the lines are vertical you can see a pattern. The line starts and rises, then it decreases and decreases, then it goes a little up and then back down. This describes the passion that was in their relationship. The poet wrote this poem to show new couples what might happen, if they do get in a major relationship with someone.

Words: 304