Sound and Sense -Poem 212

The narrator is more or less anybody speaking a warning about money, in free verse and no rhyme scheme. This accomplishes several things. First, it allows for the nature of the poem to be felt. The poem has a simple and friendly nature at first, giving an image that money is in fact quite friendly. The way the poem is written, it is casual like a regular conversation with a friend, adding to the quiet and gentle way the story seems to progress. The other thing is that the lack of structure allows for the end of the poem to have a greater effect. Since the poem is not structured, the ending seems to come out of nowhere, again following the style of the story of a sudden ill end. The poem itself is able to reflect the tone of the narrator. If the poem was structured, then it would almost assuredly lose something in the steady beat of a rhythm, making the poem seem to glorify money rather than convey the outer image of it, or sing of its good nature rather than let it come to the reader.

Firstly, the similes and metaphors are very effective. One compares money to an amoeba, which "makes love in secret only to itself" (13-15), conveying the idea that money really has no affections for anything else but itself very well. Amoeba, in fact, simply divide themselves, making the simile even more effective that it really loves nothing, but is merely a simple being if anything at all. Comparing it to a dog also helps convey the sense that money can be beneficial to one to the point where one might cherish it as a friend. The other important technique for making money humane is personification. The narrator describes the money as wanting to "nest in your pocket or curl up in a corner" (3-5), and also how it will "turn its head as if for a kiss and bite you gently on the hand" (23-26). These lines also help to make the inanimate and far from living money more alive, more personable. The narrator is trying to make you consider for a moment a living, breathing, and especially conniving, money.

Personally, I agree with this. Completely. Money will most certainly "delight your friends, shake hands with men" (8-9), or at least will allow you to do this. Everybody likes a rich friend, or having one at least, and you'll definitely be meeting a lot of people who take interest in the well-to-do. And I doubt it's necessary to explain what it means to "lick the legs of women" (10-11). But, of course, money never likes being alone, and you'll be more than happy to find more, to keep all of together, nice and happy. In short: eventually you'll go corrupt and be a greedy little miser. It'll happen suddenly, and from that moment on, you're not going to ever be the same again.