The theme of Julio Noboa Polanco's extended metaphor poem "Identity" is freedom through individuality. Throughout the poem, Noboa Polanco contrasts individuality and conformity by juxtaposing two kinds of plants: weeds and flowers. These two images serve as metaphors for two kinds of lives.
The potted flowers represent conformity within a group of people. The potted plants are more secure: they are "always watered, fed, guarded, admired." However, being a beautiful potted plant comes at the cost of being "harnessed to a pot of dirt." In this way, Noboa Polanco draws the conclusion that though it may be easier to conform to what a group of people deems beautiful, it comes with costly restrictions.
The ugly weed represents individuality. The ugly weed clings "on cliffs, like an eagle / wind-wavering above high, jagged rocks." Though not as beautiful, the weed is free, and unlike the multitude of potted flowers, there is only one ugly weed. Noboa Polanco claims that even though it may be more difficult and less classically beautiful to have a unique identity, it is inherently better.
Noboa Polanco concludes the poem,
If I could stand alone, strong and free,
I'd rather be a tall, ugly weed.
While using this extended metaphor format, Noboa Polanco describes the uniform flowers as boring and helpless to the forces around them, while the weed is strong and free. In this way, the author enforces his theme that people who live without identity live a lesser life, and those who live on their own terms live a better life.
The second poem compared with the same theme is "Nothing Gold Can Stay" by Robert Frost which has the same theme as the poem "Identity". The poem explains that the first green that appears in spring is so pale it appears like gold, but nature can't sustain this color. Soon the "leaf subsides to leaf" as it darkens and the gold disappears. In the same way, the speaker says, "Eden sank to grief," and the golden dawn soon loses its magical light, becoming mere day. Nature, the speaker concludes, cannot hold onto its golden moments; they quickly fade.
These two poems are compared to a song in Tamil called "Nathiye Nathiye".Here are some lines from the song
"Nathiyae Nathiyae Kaathal Nathiyae Neeyum Penthaane
Adi Neeyum Penthaane
Onraa Irandaa Kaaranam Nooru Kaetaal Solvaene
Nee Kaetaal Solvaene
Nadanthaal Aaru Ezhunthaal Aruvi Ninraal Kadalalloa
Samainthaal Kumari Mananthaal Manaivi Petraal Thaayalloa
Siru Nathigalae Nathiyidum Karaigalae Karaithodum Nuraigalae Nuraigalil Ival Mugamae"
These verses above talks about nature and how they have to be conserved. The song is mainly talking about how the river flows and how God has created them with all needs for human beings. The song also tells why trees and plants are very important to us and how are they important. This song gives a strong relationship with those two poems because all of them are of the same theme "nature".
The potted flowers represent conformity within a group of people. The potted plants are more secure: they are "always watered, fed, guarded, admired." However, being a beautiful potted plant comes at the cost of being "harnessed to a pot of dirt." In this way, Noboa Polanco draws the conclusion that though it may be easier to conform to what a group of people deems beautiful, it comes with costly restrictions.
The ugly weed represents individuality. The ugly weed clings "on cliffs, like an eagle / wind-wavering above high, jagged rocks." Though not as beautiful, the weed is free, and unlike the multitude of potted flowers, there is only one ugly weed. Noboa Polanco claims that even though it may be more difficult and less classically beautiful to have a unique identity, it is inherently better.
Noboa Polanco concludes the poem,
If I could stand alone, strong and free,
I'd rather be a tall, ugly weed.
While using this extended metaphor format, Noboa Polanco describes the uniform flowers as boring and helpless to the forces around them, while the weed is strong and free. In this way, the author enforces his theme that people who live without identity live a lesser life, and those who live on their own terms live a better life.
The second poem compared with the same theme is "Nothing Gold Can Stay" by Robert Frost which has the same theme as the poem "Identity". The poem explains that the first green that appears in spring is so pale it appears like gold, but nature can't sustain this color. Soon the "leaf subsides to leaf" as it darkens and the gold disappears. In the same way, the speaker says, "Eden sank to grief," and the golden dawn soon loses its magical light, becoming mere day. Nature, the speaker concludes, cannot hold onto its golden moments; they quickly fade.
These two poems are compared to a song in Tamil called "Nathiye Nathiye".Here are some lines from the song
"Nathiyae Nathiyae Kaathal Nathiyae Neeyum Penthaane
Adi Neeyum Penthaane
Onraa Irandaa Kaaranam Nooru Kaetaal Solvaene
Nee Kaetaal Solvaene
Nadanthaal Aaru Ezhunthaal Aruvi Ninraal Kadalalloa
Samainthaal Kumari Mananthaal Manaivi Petraal Thaayalloa
Siru Nathigalae Nathiyidum Karaigalae Karaithodum Nuraigalae Nuraigalil Ival Mugamae"
These verses above talks about nature and how they have to be conserved. The song is mainly talking about how the river flows and how God has created them with all needs for human beings. The song also tells why trees and plants are very important to us and how are they important. This song gives a strong relationship with those two poems because all of them are of the same theme "nature".
I am thrilled you loved the poetry unit!
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