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Poem of Return
Poem of Return
Poem of Return
(Jofre Rocha)
Structure
• 14 lines
• NOT A SONNNET > Does not conform to the strict
Italian sonnet rules.
• Stanza 2 > tone of yearning, grief and loss
• Stanza 3 > tone of anger and bitterness
• No rhymes scheme > free verse > more typical of
contemporary poetry.
• Not written in iambic pentameter
2
When I return from the land of exile and silence,
do not bring me flowers.
4
What the poem is about
6
1)When I return from the land of exile and silence,
2)do not bring me flowers.
• “When” not “If” > he is definitely going to return one day.
• When I return = anaphora > Emphasises the context of an individual
who had to flee his home country.It is clear that the speaker feels
guilty about fleeing his country while other people stayed behind to
fight the system.
• land of exile > the land to where he fled
• Silence > he was isolated / lack of communication > perhaps he did
not speak the new country’s language > not happy there.
• do not bring me flowers > imperative mood = command > he does
not see himself as a hero deserving flowers. Flowers are
superficial. Flowers are generally celebratory, and he feels that this
is definitely not a time of celebration > He fled and left the others to
fight. Maybe he feels guilty? 7
3)Bring me rather all the dews,
4)tears of dawn which witnessed dramas.
10
9)When I return from the land of exile and silence
10)no, do not bring me flowers…
13