From the Ground Up Written Assignment 2

1.REFRAIN by Allen Ginsberg
Meaning: Allen Ginsberg was a dissident from earlier years; he is looking back on his life and actions and evaluating them as he ages, and is not totally sure that he is happy with what he is looking back at.

form: This is a rhyming poem which benefits immensely from its refrain. His statement that "chadow changes into bone" may be a premonition of his own death or the fixed end of a shadow.

rhythm: the lines all have 7 beats to them. They are mostly consistent in keeping to that pattern; the occurrence of infrequent departures only lends to the disshevelment of the poet's thoughts. Had he kept to a solid meter all the way through, his feelings wouldn't have been as vivid.

rhyme scheme the scheme seems to be abaab/cacca/dadda
The varied repetition gives the poem a satisfying sound--imparts some regularity to it which is contrary to the poet's discomfort with what he is relating

alliteration: The repetition of sounds throughout solidifies the sound of the poem. I am thinking of examples like such and shame, which do not appear in the same lines, but are in consecutive lines.