Theme. A theme is a central idea in a literary work. Decide what themes are central to the selection as you read “Patterns.”
Repetition. Repetition is a writer’s conscious reuse of a sound, word, phrase, sentence, or other element. As you read the poem, decide what idea is reinforced by the repetition of dropping water and leaves.
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“Patterns,” from The Collected Poems of Amy Lowell, presents a poetic counterpoint, the news of death against a backdrop of formulated beauty. Without preaching, the poem becomes a compelling antiwar statement. As an Imagist, Lowell sought to break from the tyranny of form; this poem portrays war as one such devastating form.
Think of a time you received some bad news. Describe your surroundings that day.
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