Bluebird

Poet: Charles Bukowski

Poem’s Title: Bluebird

 

What is the structure of this poem?

There are four stanzas. There is no rhyming. The lines get longer and some lines are only one word

 

What are some key patterns you notice as you scan/ skim the poem?

There’s a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out. Whores and cigarettes stood out.

 

New vocabulary words or definitions?

There are none

 

What is happening in this poem? Answer with as many verbs as possible.

Going, inhale, pour, singing, put, sleep, blow, see, and weep. Screw up, mess up, want, let

 

Who is the literary speaker? What is his or her attitude? Don’t use vague terms.

There is a mix attitude between positive and negative. Persona- he sleeps, it is hard for him to love. Something is keeping him down. He drinks (maybe a drunk.) He is an author. He smokes. He doesn’t weep.

 

What are the dominant images that appeal to the five senses? What emotions does the images evoke?

 

Bluebird    happiness

Singing      anger

Crying       sadness

Sleeping    depression

Whiskey

 

What is the poet’s attitude towards his or her subject?

 

The main attitude is depression or sadness. I also think the poet portrayed self-pride in this piece. Maybe the man is someone who doesn’t want to let his guard down in front of other people, but he feels burdened by it each day.

How does the author diction and employment of poetic devices to convey his or her attitude.

He uses repetition and some metaphors such as the blue bird.