Abstract of Figurative Language and Imagery Analysis: Metaphor, Simile, and Imagery in "I Have Loved Flowers That Fade" by Robert Bridges

1. FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE AND
IMAGERY ANALYSIS: METAPHOR,
SIMILE, AND IMAGERY IN “I HAVE
LOVED FLOWERS THAT FADE” BY
ROBERT BRIDGES
Nurul Sakinah

2. Abstract
In this writing, the writer aims to analyze the poem entitled “I
Have Loved Flowers That Fade” by Robert Frost. The purpose of
this writing is to identify the use of figurative languages
(metaphor and simile) and imagery in the poem. The writer uses
intrinsic theory in order to analyze the poem better. The
methods used in this writing are close reading and textual. The
poet uses metaphor, simile, and imagery to express what she
meant in the poem. In conclusion, the use of metaphor, simile,
and imagery help the readers to understand the poem better.
Keywords: intrinsic, metaphor, simile, imagery

3. Introduction
Poetry is one of major forms in literature. There are a lot of people
who tried to define poetry, such as Laurence Perrine in his book
“Sound and Sense: An Introduction to Poetry (Third Edition)” (1969:3).
He defines poetry as a kind of language that says more and says it
more intensely than does ordinary language. There is also William
Wordsworth who also defines poetry as the spontaneous overflow of
powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in
tranquility in his “Lyrical Ballads” (1800:4). Interestingly enough, there
is actually no correct definition of poetry as stated by E.F. Davidson,
M.A. in “An Introduction to Good Poetry” (1906:9). He says poetry
is essentially a thing to be felt, not argued about or explained; it is a
difficult matter therefore to speak about it and he concluded it
with definitions of it are unsatisfactory. Therefore, analyzing poetry is
one great way to overcome that deficiency. Then we would be able to
completely understand and fully appreciate it.

4. Robert Bridges
William Shakespeare was an English
poet, playwright, and actor, widely
regarded as the greatest writer in
English language and world’s pre-
eminent dramatist. He is often called
England’s national poet, and the “Bard
of Avon”. His extant works, including
collaborations, consist of approximately
38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long
narrative poems, and a few other
verses, some of uncertain authorship.
His plays have been translated into
every major living language and are
performed more often than those of
any other playwright.

5. I Have Loved Flowers That Fade
I have loved flowers that fade;
Within whose magic tents
Rich hues have marriage made
With sweet unmemoried scents:
A honeymoon of delight,―
A joy of love at sight,
That ages in an hour:―
My song be like a flower!
I have loved airs, that die
Before their charm is writ
Along a liquid sky
Trembling to welcome it.
Notes, that with pulse of fire
Proclaim the spirit’s desire,
Then die, and are nowhere:―
My song be like an air!
Die, song, die like a breath,
And wither as a bloom:
Fear not a flowery death,
Dread not an airy tomb!
Fly with delight, fly hence!
‘Twas thine love’s tender sense
To feast, now on thy bier
Beauty shall shed a tear.

6. Paraphrase
To briefly sum it up, the poem “I Have Loved Flowers That Fade”
tells us that no matter how beautiful a love can be to someone,
most love are bound to end sooner or later.

7. Discussion
Figurative Language of "I Have Loved Flowers That Fade"
The poem “I Have Loved Flowers That Fade” uses a lot of figurative language, especially metaphor
and semile. Below are the analysis in detail.
• Metaphor
I have loved flowers that fade (stanza 1, line 1)
In that line, “flowers” might not mean flowers at all. It might mean people that we come to love.
Since Bridges compares people with flowers, he wants to bring out the idea that not every flower
blooms at the same time. Which means, people may love at different times. Therefore, when “I” say
that he/she has loved flowers that fade it means that he/she has once loved the wrong person.
I have loved airs, that die (stanza 2, line 1)
Bridges tries to compare people that we come to love, this time, with airs. Airs, as we all know,
passes by every time. It never stays in one place, it comes and goes however it pleases. It holds the
same meaning as the first line of the first stanza in which “I” have once loved someone who left
him/her already.

8. My song be like a flower! (stanza 1, line 8)
My song be like an air! (stanza 2, line 8)
Die, song, die like a breath! (stanza 3, line 1)
In this line, Bridges identifies the word “song” as love since the whole poem is talking about a painful
experience of love and how to move past it. Bridges intends not to tell us any of these things directly.
He tries to communicate it with figurative language. Therefore, he substitutes the obvious word of
love with song.
• Semile
My song be like a flower! (stanza 1, line 8)
In that last line of the first stanza, Bridges concludes it by saying that love is similiar to flower (literally
flower, not the metaphor). From the first line up until the second to last one, it tells us that love is
beautiful at first. Unfortunately, love will face its tragic ending at some point as well. It’s the same
thing as flower, every flowers grows beautifully but when time has come for it to wither, it withers.
My song be like an air! (stanza 2, line 8)
The same thing goes on in this last line of the second stanza. Bridges says that love is fierce and
demanding like airs. Then after describing all the goodness of love, he concludes it by saying that love
is already gone with the wind.

9. Die, song, die like a breath, (stanza 3, line 1)
Just like taking a breath, it starts and ends very quickly. The line encourages song, or love, to die like a
breath so the character “I” can get over it and start a new love life.
• Imagery
The idea of using imagery in a poem is so the poet can convey experience, not information, using
senses. The lines below that uses imagery contains some image which appeal to the senses.
With sweet unmemoried scents: (stanza 1, line 4)
The sweet unmemoried scents appeal to our sense of smell which describe how love seems to have a
sweet scene that is hard to remember.
A joy of love at sight (stanza 1, line 6)
This love at sight appeal to our sense of sight which is, obviously, about falling in love at the first
sight. We often hear the phrase “love at first sight”, right? Basically, the above line holds the same
meaning as that.
Notes, that with pulse of fire (stanza 2, line 5)
Pulse of fire appeal to our sense of touch. It potray the idea of how love can make our pulse go so
fast it’s almost on fire.

10. Conclusion
The poem “I Have Loved Flowers That Fade” seems like a
long journey of love for the readers. What Bridges tries to
deliver is actually just a sappy love story with an obvious
ending that we heard for decades already. However, with a
touch of his beautiful writing skills and burning passion, it
can turns out to be a magnificient masterpiece. The poem
teaches us a lot of things: from mourning over lost love to
forgetting and letting things go. The first and second stanza
are filled with many things, like, excitement of finding new
love and sorrow of losing it. The last stanza, however, is full
of positiveness where it tells us to hurrily get up, be happy,
and move on. Because at the end of the day, people who
are truly happy are those who are able to forget and
forgive.