The poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar utilizes a structured quatrain format with consistent rhyme and rhythmic patterns, which creates a lyrical quality that enhances its emotional depth. Each stanza echoes the theme of loss through lamentation, as the speaker reflects on the absence of love, beauty, and hope. The repetitive questioning "who knows, who knows?" emphasizes a sense of uncertainty and longing, suggesting that the speaker grapples with the ephemeral nature of life's joys. Overall, this structure reinforces the poem's melancholic tone while underscoring the inevitability of change and the struggle to find certainty amidst loss.
A Song by Paul Lawrence Dunbar
Thou art the soul of a summer's day,
thou are the breath of the rose.
but the summer is fled
and the rose is dead
where are they gone, who knows, who knows?
Thou are the blood of my heart o' hearts,
thou art my soul's repose,
but my heart grows numb
and my soul is dumb
where are thou, love, who knows, who knows?
thou art the hope of my after years ----
sun for my winter snows
but the years go by
'neath a clouded sky
where shall we meet, who knows, who knows?
In 3-5 sentences explain a conclusion that can be drawn about the poem based on its structure
3 answers
can you dumb it down?
The poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar is made up of four stanzas, each with a similar pattern and rhyme scheme, which makes it feel musical and emotional. Each part focuses on something important that is missing, like love, beauty, and hope. The repeated phrase "who knows, who knows?" shows the speaker's confusion and sadness about not knowing where these things have gone. Overall, the structure highlights feelings of loss and the difficulty of accepting that good things don't last forever.
1 answer