A Paraphrase and Analysis on Abraham Cowley’s English Poem

李秀丽

【Abstract】The poet applies many figures of speech into the poem “Drinking”， which gives us a vivid and animate impression.

【Key words】drinking； figures of speech

Ⅰ.Paraphrase

Everything in nature drinks， making the world lively and animate.The earth needs to drink， for the sun shines every day.Then it must be thirsty without water， and it opens mouth to drink from rains and other irrigated water.

As the earth is offered the water， the plants growing in it require and receive water naturally.They constantly and happily suck the water in the earth fresh and fair.

In regard to the sea， we consider it scarcely needs drinking.However， it drinks infinite rivers at all times， brimming with the waters.And this kind of drinking has formed the broad and extensive sea we see.

Even as for the sun， its face appears drunken and fiery.Then people might guess that it is by reason of its busy drinking all the time， and it ‘drinks up the water evaporating from the sea.

At the same time， the moon and the stars drink too.They ‘drink the light from the sun， dancing and reveling all night long.Everything in nature is found drunken， yet they are in good health energetically and vigorously for ever.They revolve day by day， or year by year without stop and halt.

All the bowl and glasses are filled up， but why shouldnt I quaff， carouse or drink freely while every other creature can？ Man， who has the logic in mind and stands to reason， please tell me the whys.”

Ⅱ.Analysis

Abraham Cowley has expressed his feeling towards drinking under the help of figures of speech， showing the poets complaints on being not able to drink freely.

“The plants suck in the earth， and are with constant drinking fresh and fair”， alliteration becomes visible here， describing the pleasant mood of the plants when they drink joyfully.This has formed the comparison with the later gloomy temper of the poet.

At the end of this poem， apostrophe is applied， giving voice to the poets dissatisfaction with joyless drinking.

The whole poem has run through personification.Every creature pictured here---the earth， the plants， the sea， the sun， the moon and the stars， are personified vividly and vigorously.All of them are “drinking” all the while， adding vitality to the poem.

Besides， the poet makes use of inversion as well， with “found” rhyming with “round” in the following in “Nothing in natures sober found， but an eternal health goes round”.Evidently the right order of this verse is “Nothing in nature is found sober， but an eternal health goes round”.This has enhanced the artistic effect， making the poem more glidingly and smoothly to read.

Ⅲ.Summary

On the whole， this poem gives us some juicy and lifesome pictures of the “drinking” creatures.Various figures of speech are bestowed as well， impressing us profoundly.It is truly an excellent poem being worth our appreciation.