Analysis of Poetic Tools in Reibetanz Works

Writers use poetic tools to evoke specific emotions which can allow for personal connections. The poem, The Hammer by John Reibetanz from The Essential John Reibetanz, portrays the sacrifices a mother makes for her son who eventually seeks independency, abandoning the moral values she instilled in him. In response to the second essay prompt regarding the nature of the speaking voice, the poem uses important poetic tools such as rhythm, syntax, grammar as well as tone and mood to convey a blend of emotions, particularly cheerfulness and melancholy, as it illustrates the negative evolution of the mother-son relationship. Initially, the poem demonstrates a rhythmic pattern that provides momentum for the reader which affects the conflicting moods of the poem. Secondly, Reibetanz uses emotional-contradictory syntax and repetitive grammar and finally combines a lively tone with a depressed mood which adds depth to the emotional nature of the speaking voice. These tumultuous moods represent the deteriorating mother-son relationship where Reibetanz places the reader into the mindset of the child, evoking emotions of shame and guilt onto their conscience.

To start, Reibetanz creates a rhythmic pattern which produces momentum and builds upon the dynamics of the poem. For example, the mother’s hand is emphasized by repeating the words “whose hand” three times in the first stanza. The spondaic meter is illustrated in the lines:

The mother whose hand trembled with his soft pounding whose hand guided to his mouth the first small spoon of food that did not come from her own body, whose hand enveloped his hand as her body had once (1-6) Each line following the words “whose hand” contains five iambs which comprise of a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable. These stresses create a framework for the reader, allowing them to find a pattern which provides a sense of structure or security. The first stanza illustrates a positive connotation as the mother is joyful of her unborn child and the blossoming relationship. This image is linked with the iambic pentameter and reinforces feelings of security and consistency, building upon the decorum and grandeur as the reader is able to connect with the first stanza with positive emotions. Conversely, in the second stanza, Reibetanz illustrates the use of spondaic meter through the use of the words “would not” demonstrated in the lines: would not as I have done this morning walk staring past would not have marvelled even so at his ingenuity (10-13) As the poem states “would not,” the negative connotation presented in the second stanza is emphasized as the mother can no longer appreciate her child’s admirable qualities because his misbehaviour has disappointed her. This new rhythm, linked to the negative connotations, breaks the positive pattern in the first stanza, leaving the reader feeling lost and deprived of that positive sense of structure and security. The reader is placed in the mentality of the child, now also left without the support of the mother, hence causing an emotional speaking voice.

To continue, repetitive grammar and syntax is used to distinguish between opposing emotions in the first and second stanza. For example, in the first stanza, Reibetanz emphasizes the mother’s hand by not indenting lines four and six compared to the neighbouring lines: whose hand guided to his mouth the first small spoon of food that did not come from her own body, whose hand enveloped his hand as her body had once…(4-6)Lines 4 and 6 are not indented, physically focusing the reader’s attention to the mother’s hand which is associated with the idea of motherhood. The mother’s hand, which feeds her child and holds her child’s hand, is linked to the role of a mother, one who nurtures and provides warmth, guidance and safety. These ideas are affiliated with feelings of well-being and supports the positive nature of the speaking voice. Next, Reibetanz organizes the structure of the poem by physically separating the two emotionally opposing stanzas with a large gap. This physical break interrupts the structure and energy of the first stanza and demonstrates the transformation of the mother’s perception of her child as the reader enters the second stanza. Furthermore, in the second stanza Reibetanz uses negation to physically allude to the negative connotation of the second stanza. For example, in lines 10 and 13, the words “would not” illustrates grammatical negation. Moreover, he uses harsh words such as “dirty” (11), “clench” (17), and “pound” (18) adding to the gloomy nature of the speaking voice. The use of negations and harsh words denotes an unhappy tone which is strikingly different from the first stanza.

Ultimately, tone and mood influences the contradictory nature of the speaking voice. In the first stanza, a content and hopeful mood is established. For example, Reibetanz illustrates the positive tones in the first lines, “The mother whose hand trembles with his soft pounding / inside her abdomen, marvelling that a complete / new being could be contained within her” (1-3). The speaking voice is positive due to the connotations that are associated with “soft”(1), “marvelling” (2), “complete” (2) and “new being” (3) which are related to a delicate, cheerful and fulfilling mood. This allows the reader to feel safe and secure with the positive energy of the poem and motivates the reader to continue reading. This happy tone is contrasted with the opposing, depressive mood in the second stanza. The gloomy mood is illustrated in the lines: “would not as I have done this morning walk staring past / the outstretched upraised dirty hand that juts / like a downspout from this building” (10-12). This excerpt portrays the mother as unhappy, disappointed in the behavioural changes of her child. The words “dirty hand”(11) and “downspout,”(12) create negative images, depicting the child as someone who did wrong. The mood saddens as the mother states she “would not have marvelled even so at his ingenuity,”(13) showing that she is disheartened by her child’s wrong-doing to the extent that no admirable behaviour of her child would please her. The remorse this mother expresses pins feelings of guilt and shame on the reader’s subconscious. The purity and innocence felt in the first stanza is tarnished with feelings of regret from sin or misbehaviour. Thus, the nature of the speaking voice displays an array of opposing emotions, a juxtaposition of two stanzas, placing the reader in a vulnerable mindset, and allowing them to connect with the poem on an emotional level.

In conclusion, Reibetanz exploits the nature of the speaking voice in The Hammer to elicit guilty feelings from the reader through the use of vital poetic tools. First, the poem employs a rhythmic pattern which allows the reader to find the momentum of the lines, amplifying the emotional nature of the poem. Secondly, the use of repetitive grammar and syntax adds depth to the emotional nature of the speaking voice. Lastly, the poet manipulates the tone and mood of the poem by employing a blend of positive and negative associations. An opportunity for future research that could be made would be to apply more poetic devices such as imagery and metaphors. These devices would help aid the reader in analyzing the poem and forming more significant and personal connections with the poem.