Close Reading for Language: Closely Examine The Poem By Rumi

Close Reading for Language
Bingwen Huang
ENG201
(Am unable to whether the writer is male or female and have therefore referred to both, determine their gender and make the necessary connections in the essay. Also insert thr title of the poem on the Work Cited section)
This paper closely examines the poem by Rumi (2005) and aims to highlight the use of specific contents of the text such as punctuation (use of commas and question marks), metaphors, comparisons, articles, to pass a message across to the target audience.
The author’s choice of words targets a specific audience. The imagined audience for the poem is a person the author is in love with. This can be seen from the use of words and phrases like ‘lovers’ (3), ‘a whole heart’ (7), ‘the garden of mystic lovers’(30) and ‘when you make love”(26). The author does not speak in a collective voice as he does not use words like ‘us’ or ‘we,’ instead the author addresses the audience as ‘you.’ The author is addressing a person he or she is in love with and uses the singular word “you” to refer to the person. Throughout the poem the author expresses his or her feelings for that person and by using a singular voice he narrows down his audience to a single person.
The author uses ‘like’ and ‘as’ to make comparisons that show how strongly he or she feels. “Be like the sun for grace and mercy”, “Be like the night to cover other’s faults”, “be like running water for generosity” , “be like death of rage and anger” and “scattering like dust” (8). The comparisons show how the author is passionate. This can be seen in the strength of the elements he chooses in the comparison to point out the attributes he desires for his or her lover. They are natural elements with tremendous force and hence great appeal. The comparisons also demonstrate how strong his or her love is. In the line “Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent a guide from beyond.” The author uses this comparison to justify their presence in the other person’s life and that his or her love will help guide them through life; urging his or her love to welcome him or her with open arms as he or she comes with the best of intentions.
There are two rhetorical questions in the poem. “If you are irritated by every rub, how will your mirror be polished?” (2) And, “Has anyone ever produced a mirror out of mud and straw (18)?” Both questions relate to the mirror and have associated messages. The first one asks how a person can become better if that person is uncomfortable with the process that leads to desired change. It is a rub that polishes the mirror; however rough it is. In the same way,...