An Analysis of Singing to Wolves Essay -- Singing to Wolves

An Analysis of Singing to Wolves The poem, Singing to Wolves is a modern poem, that tries to explain to the reader how wonderful seclusion is, but also considers its negative side, with the example of a lonely girl. The poem starts off with a brief encounter into the history of Wales, and talks slightly the Llanthony monks, who the reader is told were hated by the Welsh, and thus driven to a lonely life in the wilderness. By reading this poem, it seems as though being unloved is a popular reason for solitude. After this brief insight into Wales history the reader is then taken back to the realms of modern day living. Why should we hobble here relation to wolves? This opening sentence seems to act as a kind of question, which is answered in the course of the poem. At first it sounds like a foolish thing to do, but in timetually the reader realises that the wolves become very symbolic in the poem. Wolves are thought of as being ruthless hunters of the wilderness, and one co uld exactly imagine them being impressed by the singing of any person. For the monks the Wolves were those that despised them (the Welsh), and by singing to them, they were actually trying to convince them of their belief etc. And beholding as no-one ever listened to them, they may as well sing to the wolves, as they take just as much notice of them. However the wolves also do another interesting metaphorical meaning in the poem. These days they no longer roam Britain, and have all died out,&nb... ...flowers Another interesting thing that the poet makes ingestion of is semicolons. These are used throughout the three stanzas. The point of these semicolons is to make the sentences seem longer, and bring a certain amount of continuity to it. said Llanthony monks and left for barmy living Once one has recognised the ideas behind the text, one realises that the poem tries to make the reader think about the world he lives in, and maybe even prompt him into looking more deeply in to his way of life, and try not to simply follow the pattern that everybody else makes. The poet has don this by using the example of the monks in the past years, and the little girl in our modern world. Maybe he wants the reader to find a medium between becoming a statistic, and singing to wolves.