Question

Spatial depths of being survive
The birth to death recurrences
Of feet dancing on earth of sand;
Vibrations of the dance survive
The sand; the sand, elect, survives
The dancer. He can find no source
Of magic adequate to bind
The sand upon his feet, his feet
Upon his dance, his dance upon
The diamond body of his being.
By Jean Toomer

I need help understand and analyzing this poem. I'm not quite sure what he is talking about at all? I know that he uses imagery and repetition a lot, are there any other literary devices? Thanks!

Answer 1

Follow the directions in here. Let me know what you come up with:

http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/poetry-explications/

Answer 2

so i think he talks about himself as a dancer who tries to find his idenity through his own work. And he doesn't want to sink into the sand. is there anything else?

Answer 3

I think this part indicates that he sees himself as a valuable part of something huge ... and he likes it!

<i>... He can find no source
Of magic adequate to bind
The sand upon his feet, his feet
Upon his dance, his dance upon
The diamond body of his being. </i>

Answer 4

what does it mean by his diamond body of his being?

Answer 5

I take "diamond" to mean the core of his being.