Practice Unfamiliar Texts "Lament"

By close reference to the text, analyse how the writer uses techniques to narrate the poem’s story in the italicised text.

In the poem “Lament”, the writer Glenn Colquhoun uses many techniques to narrate his poem's story in italicised sections of the poem. Colquhoun uses techniques such as repetition and similes to describe the sad journey of this story of someone called buck that unfortunately passes away. Colquhoun uses repetition throughout the poem to say “Buck has gone out fishing.” This allows us to understand that Buck is most likely a fisherman and since it’s repeated at the very start of the italicised text is to emphasise that Buck has gone out into the wider ocean. As this is similar to the quote “Sail on Sailor” which is mostly used for someone who has passed on or has left that life behind. This repetition of “Buck has gone out fishing” allows us to understand that Buck was probably someone that was very close to the poet and that they have passed and that the writer has a very strong memory of him going out to sea. This allows the readers to sympathize with the writer that someone close to him, that their story has most likely come to an end. This is similar to how in our own very lives if someone close has passed away we want to remember the times that we spent with them. 

Alongside repetition, Colquhoun also uses similes to narrate the poem’s story in the italicised text. Colquhoun uses the technique of simile to compare the boat capsizing to a dog getting its belly scratched as he says “The tide rolls over like a dog with its belly being scratched”. Colquhoun used this to describe the very last moments of Buck's life as he and his boat is swallowed by the rough waves of the ocean. Colquhoun further says “The salt catches in my eyes” this is a poet describing the tears that dripped from his eyes as he hears the news that Buck has passed on. Another simile is used in the last italicized sentence saying “Seagulls flock like angels in the distance waiting for a catch”. This is used to describe how Buck has passed onto the next life and is now in heaven, as the poet is comparing seagulls that are found at sea to angels that are found in heaven. These all combine to narrate the poet’s story showing how Buck passed away. This allows the audience to understand that Buck was a nice person and to see that they have passed away is very painful to the poet. But the reference to angels allows us to understand that the poet has faith that Buck is now in a better place.