The Truly Great poetry

“Spirit” is written with a capital letter, emphasizing the personification and it’s importance. The word “precious” can be defined as something which is valueable and rare, like these artists’ writings. The reader is told “never to forget the essential delight of the blood drawn from ageless springs”, and “never to deny it’s pleasure”, or forget it’s pleasure.

The poem ‘The Truly Great’ is written in first person. The reader knows that spender is referring to the “truly great” of the past. “Truly” creates a depth of feeling and emotion, and portrays a sense of genuineness and sincerity. This is an obvious hyperbole, because a baby in the mother’s womb is incapable of this. This links to the word “womb” earlier in the poem.

The words “names”, “feted”, “waving” involve assonance of the “a” sound, linking them together. A signature is a permanent marking, like the poems and writings these artists produce, emphasising their importance.

Spender uses a hyperbole and paradox in the line, “Who, from the womb, remembered the soul’s history. “Lips, still touched with fire” is a metaphor for passion, which these poets possess. The word “fire” was used by Spender, as fire is associated with creativity and passion and suggests that, like fire, the poets’ passion and creativity is enduring.

“Signed” is an important word in the poem.