Joshua Pangilinan

Period 8: AP Literature
April 2018
AP Literature: Timed Writing
Upon the two poems called “When I Have Fears”, by John Keats, and “Mezzo Cammin”,
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, there a much similarities between the two poems, as well as
differences. Through some poetic techniques, these similarities and differences can be seen to
better explore each poets’ particular situation.
At a glance, these two poems seem to have the same structure. In fact, the two poems
both have a total of fourteen lines each. Therefore, they are both sonnets. However, the
difference between the two poems, remain on what kind of sonnet they are. “When I Have Fears”
is created to be based on a Shakespearean sonnet, while “Mezzo Cammin” is based off an Italian
sonnet. “When I Have Fears” consist of a unique rhyme pattern that follows the Shakespearean
sonnet’s “ababcdcdefefgg” rhyme pattern, with the couplet at the last two lines. Meanwhile,
“Mezzo Cammin” consists of a “abbaabbacdcdcd” rhyme scheme that goes with the Italian
sonnet’s pattern. The way each poet structures their poem can correlate to their subject or theme.
On “When I Have Fears”, the couplet line develops what the author is really thinking about in
the poem, while in “Mezzo Cammin” the pattern change seen in line nine may introduce the
poems imagery.
On reading the two poems, imagery pops amongst them. Now they show similar imagery,
but the two poems have different meaning in the imagery. “When I Have Fears” brings out some
lonely feel that brings out to death, so like dying alone. Meanwhile, “Mezzo Cammin” brings
some fear of death as time is wasted. To brings these out each poet includes some type of
imagery into their poems. “When I Have Fears” has the imagery of “huge cloudy symbols of a
high romance” (Keats 6) and “ Of the wide world I stand alone” (11). These lines give a meaning
to see that the speaker feels alone as death approaches. In “Mezzo Cammin” the author includes
a hill to imagine “Though, halfway up the hill, I see the Past Lying beneath me with its sounds
and sights” (Longfellow 9-10). This imagery brings out the speaker’s insist on how he/she looks
back in his/her past and sees it gone. The imagery both these poets include help enhance each
poem by helping the reader visual the situation and giving the poems deeper symbolic meaning.
Another poetic technique found on both these poems is symbolism. The symbolism each
of the poems consist help reveal some problem within their poem, but are different type of
meaning. In “When I Have Fears” Keats include a “huge cloud” meant to symbolise some type
of romance. However, the speaker in the poem can not trace its shadow. This enhances the
poem’s particular situation because the symbolism helps give off on how the speaker can not
find someone to be with as he/she is alone. In “Mezzo Cammin” Longfellow includes this hill
that consists of a city in the bottom and a “cataract of Death” on the top. This hill is here to
symbolize the speaker’s life. As he is half way through his life, he can see his wasted past as he
continues up this hill, or life, he will succumb to death. This symbolism helps enhance the poet’s
particular situation because he is only coming closer to the top of the hill while he can’t go down
or re-use his life.
The poem by John Keats and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow both show similar
similarities, while at the same time having their differences. These similarities and differences
can be seen through their structure, imagery, and symbolism within the poems. Both authors
establish some kind of fear of death in the poems, but bring their situation out similarly different
to one another.