Introduction
The works of the poets Gwendolyn Brooks and Evie Shockley are widely known and highly appreciated by readers around the world. Although the two authors belong to different generations and have not had similar life experiences, many find the same motifs in their poetry that can be explored and examined. Comparing Brooks’ “A Song in the Front Yard” with Shockley’s “Song in the Back Yard” by finding intertwining motifs and using similar imagery.
Imagery
Brooks’s Poem
In “A Song in the Front Yard,” Brooks frequently employs descriptive imagery to convey that the poem’s hero is seeking change. This can be seen in the rows: “I’ve stayed in the front yard all my life / I want a peek at the back” (Brooks). Thus, the author reveals the inquisitive nature of someone who has always yearned for something more than just staying in the same place. The front yard is presented as a long-familiar and safe place that has been fully explored. As a result, interest in this place begins to decline, leading to a desire to explore other options. In this way, Brooks emphasizes the hero’s curiosity and inquisitiveness, motivating the exploration of the backyard.
Shockley’s Poem
Similar motifs can be seen in Shockley’s “Song in the Back Yard,” where there are conceptual differences, but the basic idea is similar to the previous one. An example is the lines: “I want to sing / a song in the back yard” (Shockley), which suggest that the narrator in the poem wants to try something new. This is made clear by the sentence’s composition, which specifies where the song should be sung.
With this technique, the author emphasizes that this option is something new for the hero of the verse. Singing songs in the front yard may have become commonplace, so the storyteller needs to change something in the setting to expand their creative abilities. This is a similar motif in both works, aided by the image of the backyard. The poetesses convey the feeling of a change in the situation and people’s thirst for new sensations.
Analogies
Brooks’s Poem
Another similarity between the two works lies in their use of images and comparisons. This happens for the first time when comparing the courtyards: the front one, with the well-known, explored territory, and the backyard, something new and incomprehensible. In addition, both authors use metaphor and imagery to convey the central themes in their works. In “A Song in the Front Yard,” Brooks uses a metaphor in the line: “I want a fuchsia Cadillac / And I need a Caribbean cruise” (Brooks). Thus, both objects allegorize something new and a thirst for adventure. In this passage, the author conveys the fatigue of everyday life through the character.
Shockley’s Poem
At the same time, Shockley employs the technique of comparison and metaphor to convey the theme of identity, as evident in the example of the lines: “I want to be / the one who jumps out of the story” (Shockley). This aligns with the earlier passage, as the character is also tired of the ordinary and strives to accomplish something new. At the same time, in both cases, the process of self-identification also takes place since the storytellers dream about where they would like to be and whom they want to become.
Conclusion
In both works, the authors employ certain artistic techniques to reveal their characters as curious individuals. In addition, the similarity between the two poems lies in the ultimate goal of the narrators in “A Song in the Front Yard” and “Song in the Back Yard.” And here and there, people tend to try something new and unusual for them. Both authors convey this perspective through specific comparative analogies that further emphasize the similarity.
Works Cited
Brooks, Gwendolyn. A song in the front yard. Poetry Foundation. 1963.
Shockley, Evie. Semiautomatic. Wesleyan University Press. 2017.