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| Sunday, 4 December 2005 |
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A/L English Literature Made Easy - Poetry - Life and death of a hawk by Patrick Fernando In the poem Life and death of a hawk'Patrick Fernando has followed his own style as in his other poem "Fisherman mourned by his wife". The opening line of the poem creates the background arousing wonder and emphasising the authoritative atmosphere that reigns.
"Hung a grey thing in a veil of flies- Dripping vent, eyes shut, neck stretched awry." The king of the kingdom of birds in quality, power, energy and beauty;- rather a philosophical statement. The poet's usage of long and short lines with a hyphen inviting the reader is to pause for a while and ponder. The poet shows clearly how the bird flies high in the sky and no one is aware of its dwelling place. He comes down only to get at its prey; catch a chicken in a kitchen yard, and thereby getting shot, "Struggling like a drunkard up a stair" ultimately a dead body hanging from a twig-"in a veil of flies-Dripping vent, eyes shut, neck stretched awry" creating a horrendous sight. The haunts of the hawk, being impetuous, his only hope and aim is to get its prey and his vibrant actions sealing its intentions successfully, not in a vindictive manner but with the entire hope of getting his meal. The conflictbetween its Majestic existence and the pathetic situation created by his death is highlighted by the poet in a superb manner. The celestial background created for the majestic bird for its abode and its lifestyle. The contrasting set up for its tragic end placed in juxta position is conspicuous. The verses consist of three long lines each, The first verse describes the freedom of the majestic bird and the excessive powers he possessed. "He ruled the high blue kingdom" "Albatross never comes, no eagle sears" The second verse describes his abode, that nobody knew for he was gone before sunset. He was not aware of bird matings. "Bird matings he disdained..." His dwelling place, unknown, puzzled all. The third verse indicates the poet's views, wondering whether this bird slept at all. The fourth verse describes the mysterious heights the bird maintained with secret entrance and exit verifying his 'silence', 'singularity' and "the ceaseless solitary wheeling Round the sun". with the Biblical reference in the sixth verse "the second act of creation, Launched after the sun was set". The seventh verse paving way for the anticlimax "The monarch of the air" highlighted in a very exaggerated manner. "Logic snaps, this monarch of the air Descended on a kitchen yard for a chicken, Was shot and blundered like a drunkard up a stair." A 'Monarch' coming down to the level of a kitchen yard and getting shot compared to the level of a drunkard, disregarded and scorned. The last verse describes the most pathetic and tragic condition of the majestic bird who ruled the blue skies. "Hung a grey thing in a veil of flies- Dripping vent, eyes shut, neck stretched awry". The poem ends in a short pause, a comma, revealing the pathetic end of the majestic bird. There is a strain of philosophy running throughout the last two verses revealing clearly that DEATH is common to all irrespective of rank and position. The poet has personified the BIRD to increase its power and how death was common to all living beings. Extreme power of the majestic appearance or enormous wealth remain powerless in the face of Death, "the philosophical message underlying the story"-royalty coming to its end in a pathetic manner. The poem "Life and Death of a Hawk" consists of fine imagery. The hawk, ruling the "high blue kingdom", having a mysterious abode and concealing his dwelling place that puzzles everyone, and the tragic end of the majestic bird, revealing the reality of Life. The contrast maintained in the fifth verse and the eighth verse deals with the theme of the poem itself. The fifth verse points out to the marvellous powers of the majestic bird. The fifth verse has pedestalled the powers of the "Monarch of the air" and the contrasting effect conveyed by the last verse highlight the theme of the poem in an eloquent manner. Patrick Fernando, following his own style, seems to convey to his readers remarkable and creative poetry. His "The fisherman mourned by his wife" and "The Life and Death of a hawk" contribute to the accepted truth that Death is common to all and also points out the uncertainty of life. His verbal, visual and auditory images add to the brilliance of the poem, enhancing the rhythmic flow of the words in an exclusively effective manner. Mrs. C. Ekanayake, Retd. Specialist Teacher Eng.lit., St. Anne's College, Kurunegala. |
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"He ruled the high blue kingdom" and ending with the anticlimax. 
