My Friend Analysis - Literary devices and Poetic devices

My Friend
through Khalil Gibran

My friend, I am now not what I seem. Seeming is but a garment I wear—a
care-woven garment that protects me from thy questionings and thee
from my negligence.

The “I” in me, my friend, dwells in the house of silence, and
therein it shall stay for ever more, unperceived, unapproachable.

I might not have thee believe in what I say nor trust in what I
do—for my words are naught but thy own thoughts in sound and my
deeds thy very own hopes in action.

When thou sayest, “The wind bloweth eastward,” I say, “Aye it doth
blow eastward”; for I would now not have thee understand that my mind doth
no longer live upon the wind but upon the sea.

Thou canst not recognize my seafaring mind, nor would I have
thee apprehend. I would be at sea alone.

When it's far day with thee, my friend, it's far night with me; yet even
then I communicate of the noontide that dances upon the hills and of
the crimson shadow that steals its manner across the valley; for thou
canst now not listen the songs of my darkness nor see my wings beating
towards the stars—and I fain might now not have thee pay attention or see. I
could be with night alone.

When thou ascendest to thy Heaven I descend to my Hell—even then
thou callest to me throughout the unbridgeable gulf, “My companion, my
comrade,” and I call returned to thee, “My comrade, my companion”—for
I might no longer have thee see my Hell. The flame might burn thy eyesight
and the smoke would crowd thy nostrils. And I love my Hell too
well to have thee visit it. I could be in Hell alone.

Thou lovest Truth and Beauty and Righteousness; and I for thy sake
say it's miles properly and seemly to like those things. But in my heart
I laught at thy love. Yet I would now not have thee see my laughter.
I might snort alone.

My friend, thou artwork properly and cautious and wise; nay, thou art
perfect—and I, too, talk with thee wisely and cautiously. And
but I am mad. But I masks my insanity. I would be mad alone.

My buddy, thou art no longer my buddy, but how shall I make thee
recognize? My path is not thy path, but collectively we walk, hand
in hand.

Summary of My Friend
Popularity of “My Friend”: This poem turned into written by Khalil Gibran, a distinguished Lebanese American writer, poet, and visible artist. The poem ‘My Friend’ is famous for its topics of perception and reality. It become first published in 1918. The poem speaks about two buddies having various approaches in the direction of life. It additionally debts how the speaker hides his actual character, maintains his isolation and madness to himself. Perhaps, the speaker doesn’t need to peer his buddy upset.
“My Friend”, As a Representative of Duality: The speaker states that he isn't like his buddy. He addresses his friend and says he has included his internal self with a garment to guard himself from his buddy’s questions. His buddy appears to be optimistic, nice, and lively. However, the speaker lives in the center of unapproachable silence that never permits him to understand what his buddy says to him. The speaker never permits his buddy to recognise his sufferings or reveal his tormented and devastated inner self to his friend. Moreover, he laughs when his buddy admires the transient beauty and love of the world. Despite possessing a depressing soul, the speaker walks happily together with his pal on the equal track. It is admirable to see that during spite of his troubles; the speaker tries to make his buddy happy.
Major Themes in “My Friend”: Loneliness, friendship, and art of masking are the essential topics of this poem. On a surface level, the speaker talks approximately their contrasting personalities, and yet stays along with his pal. However, on a deeper note, the speaker illustrates how we manage to hide our innermost selves from the world and even from ourselves. Throughout the poem, he talks about the best self we present to the world and hides our imperfections from others.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in “My Friend”
Literary gadgets are gear that the writer makes use of to deliver his emotions, ideas, and topics to make their text more attractive to the reader. Khalil Gibran has additionally employed a few literary gadgets on this poem to relate how he is different from his pal. The analysis of some of the literary devices used on this poem has been said below.

Enjambment: It is defined as a idea or clause that does not come to an stop at a line break; instead, it moves over to the following line. For example,
“I might no longer have thee accept as true with in what I say nor believe in what I
do—for my words are naught but thy personal thoughts in sound and my
deeds thy own hopes in action.”

Symbolism: Symbolism is a use of symbols to suggest thoughts and features through giving them symbolic meanings which can be exclusive from their literal meanings. “Hell” symbolizes discontent of the speaker and “garment” is the symbol of fake appearance we keep to cover our authentic character.
Litotes: It is a discern of speech wherein a terrible declaration is used to confirm a high-quality sentiment. For example, “My buddy, I am not what I seem. Seeming is however a garment I wear.”
Imagery: Imagery is used to understand things concerning their 5 senses. For example, “My path is not thy path, yet together we walk, hand in hand”, “care-woven garment that protects me from thy questionings and thee from my negligence” and “The flame would burn thy eyesight and the smoke might crowd thy nostrils.”
Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the equal line such as the sound of /ou/ in “My friend, thou art proper and cautious and wise; nay, thou art” and the sound of /ee/ in “perfect—and I, too, communicate with thee wisely and cautiously.”
Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds inside the identical line in brief succession including the sound of /m/ in “And yet I am mad. But I mask my madness. I could be mad alone.” and the sound of /w/ in “My path isn't always thy path, but together we walk, hand in hand”.
Personification: Personification is to offer human qualities to inanimate objects. For example, ‘noontides’ in the 6th stanza is personified as though the noontides can dance like humans.
“Then I communicate of the noontide that dances upon the hills and of
The purple shadow that steals its way throughout the valley.”

Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in “My Friend”
Poetic and literary devices are the equal, however some are used only in poetry. Here is the analysis of some of the poetic gadgets used in this poem.

Stanza: A stanza is a poetic shape of a few lines. There are ten stanzas on this poem, and every varies in length.
Free Verse: Free verse is a sort of poetry that does not contain styles of rhyme or meter. This is a free-verse poem and not using a strict rhyme or meter.
Tercet: A tercet is a three-coated stanza borrowed from Hebrew poetry. Here, third, fourth and 9th stanzas are tercets.
Quotes to be Used
The lines said below may be used to tell friends that they don’t need to do the identical things, simply because they're pals. Everyone has their very own personality.

“My friend, thou artwork not my buddy, but how shall I make thee
recognize? My path isn't always thy path, but together we walk, hand
in hand.”