Compare and Contrast Two Poems

‘The Woodspurge’ by Dante Gabriel Rossetti and ‘Continuum’ by Allen Curnow are both poems that deal with a sense of detachment the poet experiences. In ‘Continuum’, Curnow illustrates his mental state of being uninspired and slightly abashed at his lack of poetic inspiration whereas in ‘The Woodspurge’, Rossetti describes his depressive condition, possibly due to relationship issues. Both poets seem to be stuck, and remain trapped in their minds throughout the poems. ‘Continuum’ begins with Curnow depicting the moon rolling over the roof and falling behind, using it as a metaphor for his poetic inspiration, loneliness and in a way, himself. He uses repetition for the word ‘moon’, and describes how his poetic capabilities are sinking, as well as how he is failing as a writer. Similarly, the beginning of ‘The Woodspurge’ focuses on the ‘wind’ as Rossetti repeats it four times in the first stanza, and vaguely foreshadows his isolated, passive state. Rossetti’s indecisiveness is shown by how he ‘walks on at the wind’s will’, which shows that he is empty inside with no will of his own. Curnow decides to walk out on to the porch to deal with his insomnia in the same way Rossetti battles his depression by deciding to sit in a tight, vulnerable posture on the grass, unable to even speak. Nature plays small roles in both poems. In ‘Continuum’, nature does not provide the inspiration Curnow hopes for to continue his profession, leaving him in a listless state of confusion and frustration. Throughout the poem, the poet solely concentrates on his inner turmoil and desperation. Alternatively, in ‘The Woodspurge’, the poet’s focus is directed toward a weed that Rossetti sees halfway throughout the poem. Every time the woodspurge is brought up, it is directly followed by a description of having a cup of three. This could be interpreted in various ways, one of many being how the poet finds complex mysteries of God (Father/Son/Holy Spirit) in simple places. The poem then ends,