The American poet T. S. Eliot is known to have said: “Genuine poetry can communicate before it is understood.”
Click start to play today’s Word Search, where you can find various forms of poetry, from the “haiku” to the “soliloquy”.
Not every poem is easy to decipher. Full of symbolism and double meanings, some poems can seem befuddling to readers. But many examples of famous poetry are anchored in the real world. Here are the stories behind three famous poems that you may have read:
1. Invictus, William Ernest Henley
A poem that endures across all races and cultures, Invictus inspired former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela during his imprisonment, and has been referenced in countless movies, books and TV shows. English poet Henley put his struggles down on paper in this poem, published in 1888, and drew from his experience of dealing with arthritic tuberculosis. The illness required the amputation of one leg during his late teenage years, with the possibility of losing the other. But Henley refused to accept his fate, and instead, sought help from English doctor Joseph Lister, who is considered to have revolutionised the science of surgery. Lister was able to perform an alternative surgery that saved Henley’s leg.
2. The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost
Originally written as an inside joke, Frost’s poem was inspired by his friend, the English literary critic Edward Thomas. The poem was meant to poke fun at Thomas always regretting whatever path the two of them would take when out walking together. The poem has grown from a simple joke to an apt metaphor for life, however, as it talks about the incredibly human instinct to overthink our choices and wonder – often in vain – what the alternative would be like.
3. She Walks in Beauty, Lord Byron
The muse behind Byron’s lyrical poem was Anne Wilmot, his cousin’s wife. In June 1814, Byron attended a party in London, UK, where he saw Wilmot wearing a striking black mourning dress that was decorated in spangles. He was so moved by her appearance, which contrasted with the vibrancy of other guests, he wrote the poem with her in mind. Some have interpreted the “cloudless climes and starry skies” in his poem to be a description of Wilmot's famous dress.
Did you know the stories behind these poems? Play today’s Word Search and tell us at games@gulfnews.com.
