But These Things Also Essay

notwithstanding these things also brings to the centre of attention what has previously overlooked, as Judy Kendall writes. doubting Thomas explores his fascination with the unimportant in this poem and looks at the connection and merging together of Spring and Winter. overmuch equal his other poetry, here, Thomas struggles to put his finger on precisely what he means. This is foundn by his inability to separate and distinguish between the two seasons.The poem begins with the prototypic two lines focussing on Spring, however, by pursuit this with two lines focussing on Winter, Thomas explodes our first expectations of usual spring poetry of beaming and beautiful shows. Instead, he catches the limbo between the two seasons and we are presented with the judgement of the grass being dogged dead and greyer now. This pessimistic tone is not what one usually connotes with springtime, but with the cold and tender overwinter. By putting the images of the two seasons so close to gether in this stanza, Thomas reinforces his presentation of their connection. The hold out line of the stanza, than all the winter it was, changes the natural syntax of the countersignatures.The stress focuses of it was, emphasising what has agone, which creates a sense of longing, introducing the conceit that, like in March, Thomas is desperate to find the key the last two lines of the first stanza run by means of with the linguistic communication now and was, bringing together images of the movement of time and emphasising the gap between the present and the past and importantly, Thomass focus on that gap.The second stanza uses inscape to look at things, which are seemingly unimportant. These things show the remains of winter, therefore connecting the seasons further. Once again, Thomas alters the syntax of the words to create a more beautified image. The word bleached would usually have a much more negative connotation of fading and maybe even the loss of hope, however B y placing the word at the end of the first line and aft(prenominal) the word little he takes away the harshness of the sound and makes it more delicate and gentle. As well up as this, Tomass use of enjambment stresses the soft L sounds in the shell of the little gather, which further emphasises the smoothness of the words. Following this, the sexural pause halfway along thesecond line, highlights the plosive sounds on the image of the chip of flint.This draws our attention to the minute details, which Thomas considers and accentuates the signs that spring is not quite here yet. By observing nature in this much detail, we see how valuable Thomas considers it to be, it creates a sense that although these things are small and often overlooked, they are significant. The final image in this stanza is of the purest white bird dung. At first it appears odd to be beautifying such a thing as bird dung, but by following it with the words purest white, Thomas introduces an idea of innocence and positivity, as well as a logical argument with the previous image of something greyer now. This brief glimmer of hope however, is shattered in the next stanza.In stanza three, the image of white no longer has positive connotations, but it feels as if Thomas could be referring to the kind between the colour white and death. This instantly darkens the tone and the notion of mistaking bird dung for violets presents the idea that Thomas is truly desperate for any indication of springs arrival. The following violent images of winters ruins and winters debts create an oppressive feeling which moves further from the previous idea of hope. inveterate the pattern of Thomass other poetry, the word something appears ambiguous and vague, creating a sense that Thomas tranquil isnt quite clear on what it is we are paying winters debts with.The final stanza of But these things also begins to fill us with hope once more. The chattering birds create a sense of procession morale and the ide a of keeping their spirits up sounds optimistic. Despite this, when we eventually think that Thomas is handout to make a definitive statement, springs here he reintroduces the feeling of ambiguity with the words winters not gone. This leaves the poem with a sense of not knowing and uncertainty. This reminds us of Thomass tendency to neer give absolutes and that he likes balancing a positive idea with a negative. This paradox leaves us with the idea that the winter is preventing the spring from arriving.Throughout the poem, there is a rule-governed rhythm, given by the IambicTetrameter, which is occasionally shortened to show the indecisive and unclear seasons. There is never a climax during this poem due to it all being one long sentence. Roberts talks about Thomass use of enjambment and fluidity, which gives a sense of him thinking and working through his thoughts.