Poem Analysis - A Poppy Blooms

“ A Poppy Blooms” I. LITERARY BACKGROUND “A Poppy Blooms” by Katsushika Hokusai is a short poem that has only three lines and is considered to be an example of a haiku poem. Haiku, unrhymed poetic form consisting of 17 arranged in three lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively. The haiku first emerged in Japanese literature during the 17th century, as terse reaction to elaborate poetic tradi ons, though it did not become known by the name haiku until the 19th century. ( Encyclopedia Britannica, 2021) The English version of this poem in this article has a different structure from the traditional structure of the Japanese haiku. In the English translation, it only has a total of sixteen syllables in three lines, with the arrangement of six, six, and four syllables in each line. This poem uses simple words that almost everyone who are going to read it, will be able to comprehend it promptly. But the twist in the last part of the poem where the writer uses a word that made the whole theme of the poem creative could make the readers think deeply and appreciate the meaning of the whole passage. II. AUTHORSHIP Katsushika Hokusai with the professional names Shunrō, Sōri, Kakō, Taito, Gakyōjin, Iitsu, and Manji is widely recognized as one of Japan's greatest artists, having revolutionized traditional print styles with his subject and compositional innovations. Hokusai is best-known as author of the woodblock print series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (c. 1831) which includes the iconic and internationally recognized print, The Great Wave off Kanagawa, created during the 1820s. He was also the Japan's leading expert on Chinese painting. The Japanese master artist and printmaker of the ukiyo-e (“pictures of the floating world”) school. Hokusai’s experienced in the book and printing trades form being a clerk in a lending bookshop in is youth was said to have contributed in his development as an artist. His works is still well – known today, the Great Wave print and Fuji in Clear Weather, his works that made him famous before in both Japan and overseas. III. LITERARY DEVICED USED Throughout ‘A Poppy Blooms,’ Katsushika Hokusai makes use of several literary devices. These include but are not limited to: Repetition, caesura, enjambment, imagery, and metaphor. Repetition occurs when the poet uses the same image, idea, word/s, or structure. In this poem the word “erase” and “write” was used multiple times, and which both words indicate the same idea, thus the pot used the literary devised repetition. Caesura occurs when the poet inserts a pause into the middle of a line. For example, the second line reads: “Erase again, and then.” Enjambment occurs when a line is cut off its natural stopping point and it could be found the second line of the poem. Metaphor occurs when there is a comparison between two things without using the word “like” or “as.” In this poem, the writer compared writing to a blooming flower. While imagery refers to the elements of a poem that engage the reader’s senses and it can be seen in the last line when the poet describes the “poppy” blooming. IV. AUTHENTIC TEXT “ A Poppy Blooms” By Katsushika Hokusai I write, erase, rewrite Erase again, and then A poppy blooms. V. INTERPRETATION I write, erase, rewrite In this first line, the writer is describing his writing process. He writes, erase, and rewrite. This means that he does things and made mistakes or maybe fail, and then erase them. But things don’t just end there for he could rewrite them or correct them and make a better outcome. Sometimes mistakes or failures are just part of the process, they should not hinder us to go on, and to move on to our next step. Erase again, and then Second line shows another stage in life, wherein you erase again, in order to achieve the best thing in life. Despite of another mistake or failure, just said “and then” and move on in your journey. And since this there is an enjambment, the reader has to jump to another line in order to finished the phrase. A poppy blooms. This third line symbolizes the success of the writer in his writing. A poopy is a beatiful flower, which means that it that the writer has a good outcome. He did not give up and went through the process, he made mistakes and learned, he failed but never stop and finally “a poppy bloom”. VI. MESSAGE AND IMPLICATION This poem has given us valuable insights into life in just three short lines. This is one of the good sides of haiku poems; they can give deep and wonderful meaning in just a few syllables. This poem has shown us the writing process and how things cannot be finished beautifully in one sitting—it takes endurance, patience, and will. It also shows us that sometimes failure and mistakes are inevitable in life. They are present, and it is up to us to decide how we are going to respond. There are instances in our lives wherein we are like the author. We make mistakes and fail, and just like him, we should not give up and achieve our goals in life. And let’s not forget that everything has a process and that we should remember that failures are just part of it. Don’t give up, and reach this phase wherein you can say, "A Poppy Blooms."