Louise reads poems

Song of the West Men


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I have a weakness for repeated words and alliteration and I find both in Song of the West Men by Simon Armitage. 

Armitage makes use of a repeating form "the far of the far ... the isles of the isles ... the rocks of the rocks" that provides a strong energy as I read and I feel almost like I'm flying with the words.  

When the pattern changes ('weave of the waves' or 'bones of his bones/were cooler than stone') other forms become apparent, sometimes alliteration, sometimes rhyme or part rhyme. The poem makes me wait a beat, and then lets me charge along with the words again.  

I enjoy the motion of these words as I unfold them.

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Louise reads poemsBy Louise Winters