Poetry Essay

Poetry Essay (#3)

Read the following poem several times and then, in a detailed 4-page essay, analyze how the poets use various elements of poetry to create the poem’s overall effect.

 

Explore as many elements as you can, including: the persona/speaker, word choice, diction, tone, sensory images, simile and/or metaphor, symbolism, irony, alliteration, assonance, rhyme, rhyme scheme, rhythm, patterns of rhythm and poeticform.

 

Use specific lines from the poem to support your points and go into as much depth and detail as possible. The most successful essays will address the most elements of poetry, listed above.

 

“Hotel California”

Don Henley and Glenn Frey (1977)

 

On a dark desert highway Cool wind in my hair Warm smell of colitas Rising up through the air Up ahead in the distance I saw a shimmering light My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim I had to stop for the night

 

There she stood in the doorway I heard the mission bell And I was thinkin' to myself This could be heaven or this could be hell Then she lit up a candle And she showed me the way There were voices down the corridor I thought I heard them say

 

Welcome to the Hotel California Such a lovely place (such a lovely place) Such a lovely face Plenty of room at the Hotel California Any time of year (any time of year) You can find it here

 

Her mind is Tiffany-twisted She got the Mercedes Benz She got a lot of pretty, pretty boys That she calls friends How they dance in the courtyard Sweet summer sweat Some dance to remember Some dance to forget

 

So I called up the Captain "Please bring me my wine" He said, "We haven't had that spirit here since 1969" And still those voices are calling from far away Wake you up in the middle of the night Just to hear them say

 

Welcome to the Hotel California Such a lovely place (such a lovely place) Such a lovely face They livin' it up at the Hotel California What a nice surprise (what a nice surprise) Bring your alibis

 

Mirrors on the ceiling The pink champagne on ice And she said, "We are all just prisoners here of our own device" And in the master's chambers They gathered for the feast They stab it with their steely knives But they just can't kill the beast

 

Last thing I remember I was running for the door I had to find the passage back To the place I was before "Relax", said the night man "We are programmed to receive You can check out any time you like But you can never leave"