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Elizabeth Allred

World Literature 4

5 March 2018

#1 Original Poem:

“It Takes a Flock”

1. Egg brought into the world, so fragile and frail

2.Longing to be loved by two fowl,

3.But they would soon bail.

4. Now orphaned, Egg is alone.

5. Sitting silently still in need of safe care,

6. while awaiting the unknown.

7. Graciously a flock of four arrive, filling the positions of the fowls

8. Supporting the Egg as if it were a branch to perch upon.

9. The flock unknowingly passed on their values

10.Forming the fragile and frail Egg into,

11. A Powerful, Beautiful, Nightingale.

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#2 Poetic Devices

1. Extended Metaphor

2. Simile (line 8)

3. Alliteration (line 5)

4. Shift in tone (lines 6-7) (use of capitalization in line 11)

5. Personification (line 6)

6. Enjambment (lines 1, 7, and 9)

7. End stopped (lines 2,3,5,6,8,10,11)

8. Rhyme (aba cdc be fgh)

9. Stanza

10. Symbolism

11. Repetition
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#3 Poetry Analysis Essay

The poem “It Takes a Flock” is a look into the author’s rough beginning as an infant and

child. As the poem continues, it also reveals that a group of four individuals came along to raise

the infant up to adulthood. The individuals have all implemented their values, forming the author

into who she is today. To portray this thought, the poem uses extended metaphor and shift in

tone.

The whole poem is an extended metaphor, causing the reader to visualize and connect to

a deeper meaning. The first line states, “Egg brought into the world, so fragile and frail,” giving

a literal connotation that eggs are easily broken unless cared for. “Egg” in the poem is referring

to the author as an infant, which makes the connection that infants are in need of care and

attention. The use of the capital E in egg emphasizes that this word symbolizes the author. The

next metaphor is the use of “fowls” and “flock”; using birds to represent humans is an easy

correlation to the reader due to the previous reference to “Egg”. “Forming the fragile and frail

Egg into, A Powerful, Beautiful, Nightingale”, show that the “flock of four” have raised “Egg”

into a “Nightingale”, a functioning adult, that is now ready to leave the nest with the values they

have instilled. Extended metaphor shows the importance of nurturing during the growth process

in a faster pace by using an egg and birds to describe a human’s life cycle.

Shift in tone allow the reader to be emotionally involved into the poem. The first two

stanzas have a sad tone. “Longing to be loved by two fowl, but they would soon bail” (2), the use

of assonance with the long O’s provide a slow depressing effect allowing readers to empathize

with the author due to the sense of hopelessness. This feeling continues in line five with the

alliteration of the S’s, “Sitting silently still in need of safe care” (5). Leaving the reader to

wonder what will become of the author. The last two stanzas are where the tone of the poem
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becomes more blissful. Now, that the reader is feeling sorry for “Egg” the author keeps them

interested by stating, “Graciously a flock of four arrive, filling the positions of the fowls” (7).

This causes relief, but it also engages to see final product of “Egg”. This feeling is brought up

with a simile, “Supporting the Egg as if it were a branch to perch upon” (8). The “branch”

resembles that the support “Egg” is receiving is strong, persistent, and reliable. “A Powerful,

Beautiful, Nightingale” (11), leaves the poem with a feeling of relief that the “Egg” has now

transformed into a “Nightingale.” The diction that the author uses with the capitalization and the

use of three syllables in the last three words tapering off the poem smoothly, while also,

enforcing the theme hardship can be overcome. The shift in tone brings along numerous other

aspects to engage the readers emotions.

“It Takes a Flock” uses extended metaphor and shift in tone to tell the author’s life story.

Metaphor makes viewers see a common life story in a different life by utilizing birds to represent

humans. Providing anticipation and suspense through shift in tone gets the reader emotional

entangled. Using these poetic devices not only make the poem interesting, it reveals several

themes within the poem.