19 pages • 38 minutes read
Speech to the Young: Speech to the Progress-Toward (Among them Nora and Henry III)
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Literary Devices
Form and Meter
"Speech to the Young: Speech to the Progress-Toward (Among them Nora and Henry III)" is a free-verse poem. As the name implies, the poem is free to look like it wants. It's not constrained by even-length stanzas or lines featuring the same number of stressed and unstressed syllables. Indeed, the difference in stanza length is almost as different as the gap between day and night. The first stanza is nine lines, while the second stanza is a brisk three lines.
In each stanza, the lines are uneven in length. Lines 6 and 9 jut out in Stanza 1, while Line 11 sticks out in Stanza 2. In Stanza 1 and 2, the number of syllables in a line varies. Line 1 has three syllables, while Line 6 has ten syllables. In Stanza 2, the second-to-last line, Line 11, has eight syllables, while the last line, Line 12, is but half that length.
At the same time, the poem produces a total of 12 lines—a tidy, even number. Thus, amidst the freedom, there's the subtle presence of deliberation. Although the poem doesn't have a formal meter, like iambic pentameter, it does have an internal meter or a somewhat predictable sound. The repetition of "Say to" (Lines 1-2), "the" (Lines 3-5), and "live" (Lines 10-12), along with the reoccurrence of the crafty compound words, establish a stable beat, which is sort of the point of traditional meter.
Alliteration
Alliteration—when a poet intentionally places similar-sounding words or words starting with the same letter near one another to create an infectious, catchy melody—also supports the sound and meter of Brooks's poem. In fact, the title contains a hint of alliteration since "young" and "toward" create similar soft "o" sounds.
In the poem, there's alliteration in three out of the four compound words: "[S]un-slappers" (Line 3), "self-soilers" (Line 4), and "harmony-hushers" (Line 5) each start with the same respective letter and end with the "ers" sound. The first compound word, "down-keepers" (Line 2), subverts the pattern since it doesn't combine two words starting with the same letter. Yet it still contributes to the pattern established by the following three compound words since it, too, ends with the "ers" sound.
While the alliteration might create an arresting tune compelling the reader to continue through the poem, it also relates to the theme of youth. In Brooks's poem, the alliteration delivers a sound as enthusiastic and rollicking as the youth. Of course, Brooks doesn't use alliteration in every part of the poem, so its absence reflects the belief that it can't always be lively or night.
Symbolism
The poem heavily relies on symbolism, which infuses the idea of youth with multiple meanings and perspectives. Each of the compound words in Lines 2-5 is an image that arguably represents something more complex or intricate—the purpose of using a literary device such as symbolism.
The "down-keepers" (Line 2) are perhaps the most elusive symbol, but, based on the word "down," this term can symbolize youth's penchant to participate in underground behavior or actions best kept on the down-low, which is why they prefer night's cover. The "sun-slappers" (Line 3) symbolize the aggressiveness of young people and their inclination to attack authority, with the bright and mighty sun symbolizing the power under assault. The "self-soilers" (Line 4) represent young people's careless attitude: They don't care if they make a mess or sully their identity. Finally, the “harmony-hushers” (Line 5) tie together the previous three symbols, as this embodies a group shushing peace and championing loud, bold behavior.
The symbolism continues with "day" (Line 6) and "night" (Line 7), as day symbolizes work and labor, and night represents more wild times. The "home-run" (Line 9) is a symbol since Brooks uses this term to illustrate the feat of accepting the daytime. Finally, the "battles won" (Line 10) and "the-end-of-the-song" (Line 11) symbolize a glorious victory and a grand finale, which, of course, aren't as important as figuring out how to live in the present or "the along" (Line 12).
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By Gwendolyn Brooks
