Sunday, April 29, 2012

Designing Conflicts

I got caught up in the word choice on Robert Frost's poem "Design."
The first paragraph is a contradiction of word choice in almost every sentence.
The starting phrase 'I found a dimples spider' is simple and innocent.  It has a vibe of 'look at this isn't it cool', but the following descriptors of 'fat and white' ruining the initially assumed beauty and intrigue of the creature.  This is followed by the moth looking like satin cloth within its grip, but yet it is rigid, the opposite of silky cloth.  The spider is a snow-drop, the flower resembles froth and the dead wings of the moth are similar to the cute paper kites used by the Asians.  The middle lines compare morning's light with a witch's brew and assorted characters is kind of ruined by the addition of 'of death and blight.'  In addition, there is the usual symbolism of white usually being peace and innocence, but the rarity of this unusually white flower has resulted in the slaughter of the moth who only wished for survival (ignoring the spiders equal need for survival.)
I understand the paragraph's meaning questioning a higher being and silently asking if such a plan is also laid for the entirety of humanity as well, but the first paragraph's meaning eludes me.

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