Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

PATTERNS, by AMY LOWELL Poet Analysis Poet's Biography

Amy Lowell's much admired poem, "Patterns," was first published in the year 1913, during the so-called Imagist phase of Lowell's career. This poem is a representation of the painterly and musical aspects of nature and gives representation to the aesthetic experience of beauty.

Explanation:

In "Patterns," Amy Lowell's reverence for the beauty in the natural world is poetically represented. Through the use of images, she impresses the idea of an orchestra playing a seemingly complex yet wondrously coordinated series of notes. Additionally, the idea of a visually captivating array of lines and laces are organically used to depict the intricacy of the patterns of color and sound observed.

Poetic Element:

Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEEFF

Conclusion:

In "Patterns," Amy Lowell's clever use of words to create poetic images of the beautiful chaos of the natural world succeeds in conveying its order and complexity. She creates a vivid landscape that captivates the reader as we are taken on a journey as she blurs the lines between nature's organic complexity and the artful beauty of its patterns.

Poem Snippet:

"From lace-bark tree to robin-breast blue,

A river ran of scarlet hue;

The white moon laughed, embracing too

The twisted ivy’s fragrant dew. "