The Complexity of the Moon and the Self: An analysis of @johnjgeddes "Second Regard"

This is @johnjgeddes poem just below, please read it before reading my analysis on it.

Second regard

I wonder how many people

Are watching the Moon
tonight.

Just above the bourne

It rises huge and white.

Like a face in a globe

Bloated and distorted,

Resting just above the horizon

On the road before us,

It's a genial, happy face...

A little pale, a little grim.

But as we get in the car and head towards it;

And we drive in.

My last thought as it
swallows:

"I won't do that again"

_ @johnjgeddes

ANALYSIS

The poem starts by recalling a culture that is almost lost. How many people still look at the moon this days? By opening the poem with such statement, the speaking voice draws the attention of readers to the act of watching the moon. Being a subtle form of suspense, it gets the reader into focus and makes the reader wonder what watching a moon entails. Then the speaking voice or persona goes ahead to describe the moon and it's activities.

The moon is described as “huge and white” “bloated and distorted”. The use of such lexical words suggests something dark, negative and scary. Bloated according to the oxford dictionary is defined as something “full of liquid or gas and therefore bigger than normal in a way that is unpleasant”. This contrasts with the mental pictures we all have of the moon (Lovely, beautiful, friendly etc)

The use of the Lexical word “distorted” also offers more information on the complexity of the moon. Distort according to the oxford dictionary is defined as “a change in the shape and appearance of something so that it is strange or not clear, also means to change facts or ideas”.

Now, the moon is “distorted”, hence, we cannot be so sure that what the speaking voice sees is a moon. Hence, the moon is a symbolical representation of negatives. (Anything bad you can think of).

Just like all negativities or actions that are bad such as spamming and theft, they are fascinating as it includes quick money but in the end it’s not usually cool for people who do such. Same with the moon, it is fascinating.

Now, the speaking voice is already aware of the dubious nature of the moon (huge, distorted, pale, bloated etc) yet the persona reports that “we get in the car and head towards it”. Despite this awareness, the speaking voice still heads towards it. So you see? Sometimes, humans are the cause of their own destruction.

This occurrence draws us back to the opening of the poem, “I wonder how many people are watching the moon tonight”- this presents the speaking voice as unselfish and a humanitarian. It turns out that watching the negative moon isn't a good thing. The persona wonders how many people are making same mistake and hopes for a change.

Further into the poem, the moon poses as a hindrance. It stands “on the road before us”. The moon thus represent anything that hinders progress. Finally, the bestial nature of the moon is presented through its final action; “it swallows”.

The complexity of the moon also relates to the complexity of the self which is represented through the use of the “I”

The kind of self, presented is one who almost suffers from an identity crisis. The self is imbalanced and almost floating which explains why the “I” isn't represented in a graspable state except in a "car". That is the only information we have on it. Unlike the moon which is above the “Bourne and just resting just above the horizon”. The moon’s location is okay but the location of the speaking voice is almost indeterminable. It’s just in the car almost lost in time and space.

The use of “we” also give more information about this crisis with the self. We are aware of only one dominant speaking voice which is the “I” but there are also other beings present through the use of the “we”. However, we have no access to the other being present except through language. The reader has access to the "we" only though the speaking voice.

"but as we get in the car.." line 13
"and we drive in" line 16

Now this occurrence poses the question of whether the self is split. Is it just one self or there are multiple selfs?

For example psychoanalysts such as Sigmund fraud came up with the conscious self and the unconscious self. This two part of our essence carries out different functions and they also influence each other’s activities.

The use of the “we” also extends the “I” and makes it ambiguous. Since the reader sees the “we” represented through the “I”.

Hence, there is a need to embark on a quest for self-discovery. Luckily, the speaking voice is able to achieve this at the end.

CONCLUSION

@johnjgeddes presents themes such as identity crisis, a need for change, the complexities of life, duality etc. He hints on the need to be conscious about our environment. The speaking voice realizes the dark side of the moon (but still heads towards it) Thus, awareness isn’t just enough. Hence, johnjgeddes emphasizes on the need for positive actions to curb vices.

This action is demonstrated through the persona’s resolution not to do such again. The persona says “My last thought as it swallows: I will not do that again”

There is the need for focus, hard work and zeal.

Johnjgeddes "Second regard" depicts a need to look inward and the fact that it isn't enough to just look before leaping. Are you ready for the actions to undertake when you look before leaping?

With the rich use of literary devices such as imagery, personification, simile, metaphor, apostrophe, symbolism etc the poet drives home his points.

A suspense-filled, beautiful and interesting poem with a message for all. I really love the way the poem ended.

Thanks to @Johnjgeddes for permitting me to analyze this fantastic poetry.

Henceforth, I will analyze the works of writers here on steemit.
@mimy- bringing your works closer to the readers.

Works cited

Johnjgeddes. "Second Regard". 2017

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