Planting a Sequoia
Planting a Sequoia is a poem that was published in “The Gods of Winter” in 1990. It was written by American poet Dana Gioia.
At the beginning of the poem the narrator is obviously in a pessimistic mood. He uses miserable imagery and metaphors to convey his current outlook on life. The phrase “rain blackened the horizon” creates a gloomy and sinister atmosphere. Also, here could be a metaphor as that rain could relate to a tragic even that had happened to him and the horizon may be symbolic of the future h was looking forward to, which has now been “blackened”. “The sky above us stayed” reiterates this as it shows that things have not changed and may also indicate that things have not changed. Furthermore, the language portrays a state of mourning, or an unwillingness to let go of something.