Godmother

Godmother
by way of Dorothy Parker

The day that I become christened-
It’s one hundred years, and more!-
A hag came and listened
At the white church door,
A-hearing her that bore me
And all my kith and kin
Considerately, for me,
Renouncing sin.
While some gave me corals,
And a few gave me gold,
And porringers, with morals
Agreeably scrolled,
The hag stood, buckled
In a dim gray cloak;
Stood there and chuckled,
Spat, and spoke:
“There’s few sufficient in life’ll
Be desiring my assist,
But I’ve were given a trifle
For your quality younger whelp.
I supply her sadness,
And the present of pain,
The new-moon madness,
And the love of rain.”
And little correct to lave me
In their holy silver bowl
After what she gave me-
Rest her soul!

Literary Analysis
The theme of this poem is the affection of a godmother for a child. In Christianity, the idea of a godmother is a lady who vows to assist boost a child in line with Christian morals. She takes responsibility for sporting out the kid’s non secular schooling and assures that she will take care of a child inside the case of the kid being orphaned. Therefore, she may quit up playing the role of a actual mother.

The title “Godmother” makes it clean that this poem is set a godmother. The speaker is addressing her godmother and recounting her formative years period, when her parents gave her godmother the duty of her bringing her up in a Christian manner. The scene is set within the nave of a church, where a group of human beings has accumulated to peer the ceremony of baptism. The tone is complete of happiness and experience of gratitude to her godmother.

The speaker starts the poem by way of remembering the day of her baptism. It seems “It’s 100 years, and more” due to the fact that her baptism. She maintains her recounting, pronouncing that “A hag got here and listened” who entered from church door. The speaker’s family contributors and relatives accumulated to wait the ceremony. On behalf of the kid, the circle of relatives members decided that they would abstain from evil and sinful acts, as referenced in the line “Renouncing sin.” After taking oaths, the guests present items to the child, where “a few gave me corals” also “with morals” which implies the Christian code of ethics.

The speaker refers to the godmother as a hag; she “stood, buckled / in a dim grey coat.” Subsequently, she speaks and says that only a few people need her assist. She is, in truth, ironically implying that almost all of human beings do now not follow spiritual teachings practically; hence, the godmother might be of little use for their child. However, she goes directly to say, “But I’ve got a trifle / For your exceptional younger whelp.” She alludes to the idea that learning and following the spiritual dogmas might be painful and tough, announcing that “I give her sadness, / And the gift of pain,” notwithstanding the truth that she might also provide her plenty of love.

By the end, the speaker is grateful to her godmother for cleaning and washing her of her sins “And little appropriate to go away me /… holy silver bowl.” As her godmother, she had accomplished a terrific carrier for the speaker, “After what she gave me-/ Rest her soul!” Hence, this is an expression of her love and gratitude for the godmother.

Structural Analysis
The poem is written in a lyric form. Although, it isn't divided into proper stanzas, even then its rhyme scheme is rhythmical and regular, ABAB

The day that I become christened– A
It’s 100 years, and more!- B
A hag came and listened A
At the white church door, B

The metrical sample of this poem mixes iambic trimeter with trochaic trimester, as “A hag got here and listened / At the white church door.” These meters provide a musical contact and create movement inside the poem. Alliteration appears in several traces, together with the “g” sound in “gave me gold” and the “s” sound in “spat, and spoke” which provides splendor to the rhythm of the strains. Enjambment is used in complete poem as “Considerately, for me, / Renouncing sin.” This allows in expressing complex thoughts in multiple lines. The diction of this poem is connotative and figurative; the poet uses metaphorical language to convey the topic of love. Internal rhyme and assonance are absent; however, quit-stopped line seems at the end of every stanza. The poetic tool of anaphora is used within the case of the word “And,” which is time and again used at the start of the strains. This adds to the rhythm of the poem and creates harmony inside the strains.

Guidance for Usage of Quotes
The poem “Godmother” is primarily based on the topic of a godmother’s offerings for humanity. In this poem, her role is highlighted throughout baptism ceremony, specifically the manner she takes duty for a child’s upbringing in accordance with Christian beliefs and non secular dogmas. The poetess has a high regard for the godmother’s holy obligation and feels grateful to her like a real mother, as she works solely in the call of God. Therefore, lines of this poem can be quoted and devoted to moms on Mother’s Day, including:

“…little accurate to lave me
In their holy silver bowl
After what she gave me-
Rest her soul!”

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