Language is clay to poets. Poets take the unworked clay and fashion it to their design. The late Professor of Southern Methodist University, Laurence Perrine, argues that Edwin Arlington Robinson’s poem. “Miniver Cheevy” is an exemplar of how poets fashion language to express themselves.
Perrine analyzes the Poem, stanza by stanza, for poetic devices and allusions used by Robinson. For example, in the first line of the first stanza, which reads “Miniver Cheevy, child of scorn” (1). Here, Perrine explains that this line can be understood in two ways. One way of reading indicates that “scorn” is the parent of Cheevy (66). The other way of reading the line is that Cheevy is “the object of scorn”, analogous to the phrase “child of misfortune” (66). Another example in the sixth stanza of the poem, Perrine explains the use of alliteration and the irony of calling “iron clothing” graceful (70). In short, Perrine anatomized the poem, and explained the function of each poetic organ.
I found this article edifying. I learned some new things about the poem that I did not get with the first reading. However, I wished the article would mention to parallels between Miniver Cheevy and Don Quixote. Both were men, who wished to be born in a previous time, and both are satires that are in the form of the thing they are a satire of. The novel Don Quixote satirized Chivalric Romances, libros de caballerías, while also being a novel in the form of Chivalric Romance. Likewise, “Miniver Cheevy” is a satire of romantic poetry in the form of romantic poetry.
Works Cited
Perrine, Laurence. “A Reading of Miniver Cheevy.” Colby Library Quarterly, vol. 6, no. 2, 1962, pp. 65-74.
Robinson, Edwin Arlington. “Miniver Cheevy.” Poetry Foundation, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44978/miniver-cheevy
Khalifa's Blog 
Hey Khalifa I love your comparison of clay to poetry in the eyes of a poet. I find the way you word your research satisfying and easy to understand.
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Hi Khalifa, I think you could go into more detail about your source, as there seems to be a lot more to it. Also, I think it would be helpful to include a recap of the poem that you chose because reading this post at first I wasn’t sure what it was about. I like how you stated your own questions and things you wished you could’ve taken from the article, and your works cited looks good as well. I especially like the simile you used, in the beginning, to start off with.
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I will admit, a satire of romantic poetry in the form of romantic poetry is rather brilliant and amusing.
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Hi Khalifa! This is a very interesting post. I especially liked how you started off with the line “Language is clay to poets.” It is a very romantic and accurate way to describe poetry to poets. I would also love to see more detail and in-depth thought about the article, and your opinion. Why did you choose this author? What intrigued you? What other questions do you have? Keep up the good work!
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Through that little bit of the summary on the poem I saw another view on how people interpret this poem. Everyone can have different opinions on something especially in poetry and this view by Perrine is no exemption. I also agree with Eric as I feel like you could have also went more in depth into the article as I felt there could have been more to talk about. Despite this it seems like you enjoyed what you read and good for you to have another view on things as if we all thought the same that would be boring.
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That’s a very good analyses of a well written, yet somewhat depressing poem. I appreciate how you pointed out the subtle irony within it.
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Great post Khalifa it’s very beautiful and cool. Your introduction is cool but I’m unfamiliar with the poem you are analyzing but it’s still a good job. I like how you have perfect quotes and good Intext citation following. Your focus is really good and good topic of choice. Good job man
Your classmate Anthony B
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