Poetry Commentary "Carpets"

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                Joshua Johnstone L6IB

Comparative Study

A comparative study of the two poems “Carpet-Weavers, Morocco” and “Ispahan Carpet”, brings us into an Eastern culture of young girls working skilfully, their small hands creating woven carpets of great beauty. Both poets create different environments by injecting emotionally charged descriptions of similar scenes.

I believe that the success of these poems results from their splendid use of themes, emotive vocabulary and contrasting as well as similar issues raised.  The poem, “Carpet-Weavers, Morocco” is, as I see it, the lighter of the two poems, has three lines in each of its four stanzas. The first line contains the main theme seen in both of the poems; it talks of “another world”, which as is followed up later in the poem, refers to the constant differing between the East and the West. The poem continues and in the first stanza there is reference to the second theme, that of the children being like machines, working constantly. There is more reference to the East versus West contrast opening the second stanza. This stanza also contains the poem’s constant reference to the future, what is to happen. It also talks of the children being responsible for creating something that is more beautiful than them and their situation. It discusses the issue of the vast time taken from their lives, the children working “in the school of days.” It deals with light versus dark, appearance versus reality and a respect for these poor children. It is also written in the third person, which gives the reader a sense that they are looking down on the vivid scene from a distance. The poet doesn’t seem to disapprove wholly of the situation deciding that the masterpiece created in the end is worth the effort.

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The other poem, “Ispahan Carpet” shares many of these themes; it however has no apparent structure, different from “Carpet-Weavers, Morocco” which has clear structure. It has five stanzas all but two of varying length. “Ispahan Carpet” is as I see it, is a much darker, more shadowy poem; it creates a vivid picture of a dank eerie cavern with that quick, “flickering fire” shadowing the weavers yet illuminating their creation. The poet uses words such as “gallows” to create an almost deathly feel to the poem. The poem speaks of the tradition, “Left by their aunts and sisters”. The monotonous ...

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