Read this poem by William Blake carefully for he has used either metaphor, personification or symbolism in almost every line. What is the poem about? Your first clue is the title "The Evening Star." Every line relates to something the evening star does or the way that it appears in the sky. He gives human qualities to the stars and the sky and, in the end, the star becomes a god.The words in italics represent a metaphor, personification or symbolism. Label SEVEN of the italicized words and/or phrases as one of the above poetic devices.
To The Evening Star by William Blake
Thou fair-hair'd angel of the evening
Now, whilst the sun rests on the mountains, light
Thy bright torch of love; thy radiant crown
Put on, and smile upon our evening bed!
Smile on our loves, and, while thou drawest the
Blue curtains of the sky, scatter thy silver dew
On every flower that shuts its sweet eyes
In timely sleep. Let the west wind sleep on
The lake; speak silence with thy glimmering eyes
And wash the dusk with silver. Soon, full soon,
Dost thou withdraw; then the wolf rages wide,
And then the lion glares through the dun forest;
The fleeces of our flocks are cover'd with
Thy sacred dew: protect them with thine influence!
Select TWO of the devices you identified in the preceding questions. Explain exactly what is being compared and how the poetic device functions in the context of the poem.Follow this example:
"Angel of the evening" is a metaphor. Blake is comparing the evening star to an angel because it shines brightly in the sky and, he infers, it takes a compassionate interest, as an angel would, in the people on the earth below.