Imagery

Imagery

Imagery is the arrangement of words or phrases to invoke any sense or combination of senses. The imagery that poets use can, in ways, be considered a verbal picture that readers perceive with our mind's eyes, ears, nose, tongue, or skin.
Imagery is essential in poetry. Imagery provides readers a with a point they can reference with. Are you writing about being in love? If so then you could include images in your poem like 'bright blue skies' and 'roses blooming'. These types of happy images help set the mood of the poem. So, depending upon your desired outcome, it would be wise for you as a poet to carefully select images to help the reader along.

Let us take a moment to examine “Fire and Ice” by Robert Frost to see how he uses imagery.

“Fire and Ice”

SOME say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To know that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

What are the two central images in this poem? I'll give you a hint, look at the title.

Why are fire and ice so symbolic of the desire and hate that Frost claims will destroy the world?

Where else have you seen this type of symbolic imagery used?


This is my take on the poem, if you have a different take, please let me know. My interpretations are not the the only answer. If you take something else from this poem, I would love to hear it. Thats the great thing about poetry, since each one of us is approaching these poems from a different perspective, we each see something different.
Anyway, back to my interpretation, Frost links desire with fire because fire consumes. When Frost says the world would end by fire, he is saying that our desires will consume this world. If you are approaching this poem from a Judo-Christian perspective, then perhaps Frost is saying that humanity will become immoral like Sodom and Gomorrah and be destroyed by God. It could also be approached from the standpoint that man's desire for resources, land, power, and control will lead the world to extinction.
As for Frost's symbolic use of ice and hate, I am reminded of an old Klingon quote from Star Trek that said “revenge is a dish best served cold”. It seems like humanity has associated hate with being cold. Ever heard the expression that someone is as cold as ice? That does not necessarily mean that they have a temperature below the point of freezing, it just means that they are cruel, and devoid of emotions. So rather than saying that the world will perish in another ice-age, Frost's use of ice underscores the hate that he has also mentioned.

Assignment

Your assignment for tonight is to read a rather lengthy poem by T.S. Eliot entitled “The Wasteland”. This poem is jam-packed with imagery. After reading this poem, I want you to write five instances in which Eliot uses imagery and explain the affect that this imagery has on the poem.

Download T.S. Eliot's “The Wasteland”