When we get lost, there is always a chance to find our way back to the correct path. We get off course, totally lose our way, and then make an effort to find ourselves again. As we struggle through life, some people lose all hope, but by the time they recognize this, it is too late. They begin to wonder what might be the causes of their woes. However, they are unaware that there is always a reason for everything because every time they attempt to get a break, their issues only worsen. Milton John talks about how he was in the dark, and he tried to retrieve his way back, but he had no idea what would follow after this. He uses the word “spent” which here signifies how before he had lost his way. He had much that time that he thought would last forever.
As our problems progresses, our faith in hoping for the best declines. This is because we think everything we lost will never be retrieved back and even if we get all that back things will never be the same again. We forget that this could be a new beginning for us and better progress. For us to enlighten our paths, we gather the energy to share what we feel with someone who understands us most and is willing to help and his ready to carry our burdens and pain. Milton John says in his poem that “God doth not need either man’s work or His own gifts.” He is trying to tell us that God does not require anything from us for him to offer help. All he needs is our patience and our trust in him. We should not blame him for our misfortunes.
The poet has used several literal devices to enhance his poem and to give it a meaning and for his audience to understand it well. These literal devices also give us a clear picture on what we expect in a real-life situation case and making his story simple for his readers to understand easily. He has used a metaphor “light.” This means what he sees through vision. The vision makes foresee his greatness after his problems are over. This metaphor is made complicated because he says that light can be spent. There is no way vision can be “spent.” Therefore; he is using a metaphor to compare his vision to a source of light that could run out anytime.
He also says that “Eres half my days” to mean that before his life is over. He uses this as a metaphor to compare his days like daylight, but they are more of nights that are meaningless. He has also used alliteration in the sentence “this world dark and wide.” This has been used to create a rhythm and mode and making the reader understand what the world is and for them to remember. He also compares his story to God by use of metaphor when by he says that God questions a master for denying light to his servants. Personification has also been used in the word “Patience” which is being compared to a human. This has been used to show how “patience” advises him on how to retrieve his way back to the light. Personification has been used here to show emotions and how to react to non-human characters. The poet also portrays irony in the poem when he said that he knows the talent but does not know how to use it because the ability was dead and hidden. The author of this poem is trying to question God for his problems and why He seems to have left him alone. He is seeking God’s guidance for him to find his way back out the darkness.
Reference
John Milton. When I consider how my light is spent. Academy of American poet, New York. Hackett Publishing, 1674:1059. Print.
