Happiness by Naomi Nye
Poetry Essay
What is happiness? Different people have different definitions of happiness. For children, happiness is the satisfaction of receiving candies or toys. For adults, happiness is a good job or happy family. For Naomi Shihab Nye, happiness in a poem “So Much Happiness” is something else that not only can sing but also can be felt by touching. Due to the flow of this poem, dramatic situation, image, and syntax are three important elements that strongly demonstrate a different perspective of the author on happiness.
The poem “So Much Happiness” is influenced much by Naomi’s own experience and observations from her daily life. Since this poem was written a short time after her wedding, it draws a happy and bright vision for the readers. Being known as a “wandering poet,” her writing style seems to contain no rule or limit, just freedom. This element can also be seen in “So Much Happiness” with free verse and structured around the theme of happy moments. Her experience and her open-mindedness have created a different point of view on definition of happiness in this poem.
Wonderful and unique imageries are another factor that makes this poem attractive to many people. Normally, when people talk about happiness, they usually mention about their feeling. However, Naomi has described her happiness as something that can float. This creative imagery of happiness brings up not only the image of wind or a cloud but also an atmosphere that fulfills of love and happiness. In addition to an innovative idea of happiness, the way Naomi feels her happiness is also different from other people. She uses most of her senses to notice the existence of happiness. Her eyes to see “happiness lands on the roof of the next house,” her ears to hear it is singing, and her hands to touch the happiness “you shrug, you raise your hands, and it flows out of you into everything you touch.” Not only using the visuals and sensory, but Naomi also uses metaphors in her writing. She
What is happiness? Different people have different definitions of happiness. For children, happiness is the satisfaction of receiving candies or toys. For adults, happiness is a good job or happy family. For Naomi Shihab Nye, happiness in a poem “So Much Happiness” is something else that not only can sing but also can be felt by touching. Due to the flow of this poem, dramatic situation, image, and syntax are three important elements that strongly demonstrate a different perspective of the author on happiness.
The poem “So Much Happiness” is influenced much by Naomi’s own experience and observations from her daily life. Since this poem was written a short time after her wedding, it draws a happy and bright vision for the readers. Being known as a “wandering poet,” her writing style seems to contain no rule or limit, just freedom. This element can also be seen in “So Much Happiness” with free verse and structured around the theme of happy moments. Her experience and her open-mindedness have created a different point of view on definition of happiness in this poem.
Wonderful and unique imageries are another factor that makes this poem attractive to many people. Normally, when people talk about happiness, they usually mention about their feeling. However, Naomi has described her happiness as something that can float. This creative imagery of happiness brings up not only the image of wind or a cloud but also an atmosphere that fulfills of love and happiness. In addition to an innovative idea of happiness, the way Naomi feels her happiness is also different from other people. She uses most of her senses to notice the existence of happiness. Her eyes to see “happiness lands on the roof of the next house,” her ears to hear it is singing, and her hands to touch the happiness “you shrug, you raise your hands, and it flows out of you into everything you touch.” Not only using the visuals and sensory, but Naomi also uses metaphors in her writing. She
Cited: So Much Happiness-Nye, N. (1998). Retrieved from Poetry Packet Thoreau, H. Retrieved from http://quotesandimages.com/post/3787319201/happiness-is-like-a-butterfly-the-more-you-chase-it