The Bridge (poem) facts for kids
The Bridge is a long poem written by an American poet named Hart Crane. It was first published in 1930. Crane wanted this poem to be a modern epic, which is a very long and important poem about big ideas or events.
The poem has fifteen different parts. Many of these parts are about New York City. The most famous part of the poem is its introduction, which is called To Brooklyn Bridge. People often see The Bridge as Hart Crane's biggest and most challenging project. However, some people also thought it was not successful.
Contents
About The Bridge Poem
What is The Bridge?
The Bridge is a long poem by Hart Crane. It explores many themes, including American history, technology, and the search for meaning in modern life. The Brooklyn Bridge itself is a central symbol in the poem. It represents connection, progress, and the spirit of America.
How Hart Crane Used Language Sounds
Hart Crane was very careful about how his words sounded in his poems. He used special techniques to make his poems sound interesting and musical. These techniques include alliteration, rhyme, and assonance.
- Alliteration is when words that are close together start with the same sound.
- Rhyme is when words have the same ending sound.
- Assonance is when words that are close together repeat the same vowel sound.
You can see how Crane used these sounds in his writing. For example, in this part of the poem, listen for the repeating "i" sound:
How many dawns, chill from his rippling rest
The seagull’s wings shall dip and pivot him,
Shedding white rings of tumult, building high
Over the chained bay waters Liberty —
The repeating "i" sound helps to connect the words and create a certain feeling.
In another part, you can hear the repeating "f" and "p" sounds, which is alliteration:
O harp and altar, of the fury fused,
(How could mere toil align thy choiring strings!)
Terrific threshold of the prophet’s pledge,
Prayer of pariah, and the lover’s cry,
These repeating consonant sounds add a rhythm and emphasis to the lines.
What is Iambic Pentameter?
Even though Hart Crane was a modern poet, he often used a traditional rhythm called iambic pentameter in The Bridge. This is a common rhythm in English poetry. It means each line usually has ten syllables, with an alternating pattern of unstressed and stressed sounds. It sounds a bit like "da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM".
Most of the time, Crane's iambic pentameter in The Bridge does not rhyme. This is called blank verse. But sometimes, he did use rhymes. Here is an example of iambic pentameter from the poem:
And Thee, across the harbor, silver paced
As though the sun took step of thee yet left
Some motion ever unspent in thy stride,—
Implicitly thy freedom staying thee!
You can hear the steady beat of the words in these lines.
See also
In Spanish: El puente (libro de poesía) para niños
