Lisa HansenProfessor PhillipsFinal Document5/16/2014Poetry Analysis of Derek Walcott:Poetry in essence is a form of written artistic expression. It allows writers to reveal their ideas and feelings in a truly unique way. Wallace Stevens once said, “Poetry is a destructive force.” In other words poetry has power, I think this is a very true statement. Another poet named William Carlos Williams once said, “Poetry is a small (or large) machine made of words.” I also believe this statement is true, every aspect of a poem is important to its function as a whole, and if something is missing or changes it can no longer function in the same way. I believe the poet Derek Walcott knew these “rules of poetry” and modeled them in his writings. For example we can see the use of these statements in his poem “A City's Death By Fire”. “A City's Death By Fire” is a powerful poem about a city in ruins after being destroyed by fire. Someone who appears to have witnessed the tragic destruction tells the story firsthand, and it's as if we are taken through the aftermath. The overall tone of this poem is very serious. Making the reader feel what the viewer feels is very dark and extraordinarily sad. However, as the poem progresses, the tone slowly changes from morbid to hopeful, and we are given a sense that the resurrection will come. Imagery is the dominant force in this poem, and Walcott creates these strong images to describe what the city looks like now. . In lines 5 and 6 he says, “All day I walked abroad among the rubble, shocked by every wall that stood in the way like a liar;” He seems to be incredulous in what he sees; the place he once called home is now… at the center of the paper… to paint a clear picture through the structure of his poetry, the specific choice of words, and the tone he creates. And each of his poems is unique in the way it makes you feel when you experience it. “A city’s Death By Fire” is a great example of Walcott poetry that can paint a picture. It has the ability to place you among the rubble of what was once a small town; it makes you feel like you lost everything in this tragedy. But it also makes you feel like there is hope for rebuilding and that time can heal. I believe this poem is a destructive force; it is powerful and can evoke strong images and feelings. I also believe that this poem is a machine made of words, each equally important in making everything work as intended. This is what makes the poem so unique; it can be numerous things at once and is recognizable even if it is foreign.