A Word Is Dead

A word is dead

When it is said,

Some say.

I say it just

Begins to live

That day.

Just considering the title, the reader may expect the poem to deal with words and their life.

The layout shows the composition consists of six lines arranged into two similar patterns: two tercets that is stanzas of three lines each, separated by a full stop. It follows that the reader wants to know to may be interested in finding the reason of such structure.

Taking structure into a count the reader has to read the text to understand content. The speaking voice reports common people’s opinion about the life of a word once it is said. At the same time, the speaker communicates her point – of – view on the matter discussed and asserts her strong opinion: words start living when said. It goes without saying no doubt structure helps meaning, in that the two stanzas contain two different prospective on the topic discussed.

In the structure the alternation of passive and active verbs adds to meaning. “It is said” in the first tercet finds its correspondent in “I say” in the second one. There is no need to highlight how passivity and activity refer to opposite state of life and you may well understand that meaning is a result of a contrast shows its strength throw structure, verb form and syntax and semantic choices.

The phrase “I say” immediately recalls “Some say” of the previous line. This happens thanks to the use of alliterative sounds that pack words together. In addition, you cannot mention the frequent occurrence of sound “s” in the whole text. It is a way to create sound parallelisms between words and create between the two different points – of – view.

People and words as well live and have their existence in time. “When it is said”, “just”, “Begins”, “to live” and “That day” are all expressions referring to time and the relationship people and words thet have with time.