Cactus
By K. Satchidanandan
Thorns are my language.
I announce my existence
with a bleeding touch.Once these thorns were flowers.
I loathe lovers who betray.
Poets have abandoned the deserts
to go back to the gardens.
Only camels remain here, and merchants,
who trample my blooms to dust.One thorn for each rare drop of water.
I don’t tempt butterflies,
no bird sings my praise.
I don’t yield to droughts.I create another beauty
beyond the moonlight,
this side of dreams,
a sharp, piercing,
parallel language.
Summary of Cactus
- Popularity of “Cactus”: The poem ‘Cactus’ was written by K. Satchidanandan, an Indian writer, critic, playwright, editor, and newspaper writer. The poem is wonderfully composed about nature, its beauty, and the human capability to understand this. It was first published in 2001 in his collection, So Many Births. Later, it was included in Collected Poems of K. Satchidanandan. The popularity of the poem, however, rests on its stylistic features of using unique figures of speech despite Satchidanandan being a non-native English speaker.
- “Cactus” As a Representative of Beauty and Poetic Art”: The poem begins with a cry about how he faces obstructions in using language. This is an implicit love of the poet for his indigenous language, yet he has to write in English, saying that he feels his existence through this language. Linking it with him, he further states that sometimes things were quite contrary, while the situation has now reversed. He does not like this transformation in human beings as he does not like a betraying lover. The journeys of the ancient routes have stopped as they have trampled upon the poet’s land, making it dust. In the midst of this transformation, the poet sees that he cannot create butterflies and that critics also do not approve of his words, yet he does not stop writing. He continues writing in parallel languages, using his dreams as moonlight to guide him.
- Major Themes in “Cactus”: Poetic art, love of one’s language, and yearning to win public applause are three major themes of this poem. The poet believes that the language is proving a great hindrance to him which shows his love for his own language. He cannot win the hearts and minds of the public and critics through his art. This shows his love for his language and his love for his poetic skill. It is because of the things that are always topsy-turvy or in transience, while only his poetic skill is permanent. In the midst of this chaos, he wants to yearn for public applause.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in Cactus
literary devices are unique strategies used to make poetry enchanting. The analysis of these devices is given below.
- Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /i/ in “with a bleeding touch” and the sound of /a/ in “parallel language”.
- Alliteration: The poem shows the use of alliteration, which means to have initial consonants in two successive words, such as the sound of /th/ in “these thorns.”
- Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /r/ and /s/ in “Once these thorns were flowers”, the sound of /m/ in “who tramples my bloom to dust” and the sound of /n/ in “beyond the moonlight.”
- Enjambment: It is defined as a thought in verse that does not come to an end at a line break; rather, it rolls over to the next line. For example;
I create another beauty
beyond the moonlight,
this side of dreams,
a sharp, piercing,
parallel language.
- Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. The poem shows the use of imagery such as “Once these thorns were flowers”, “One thorn for each rare drop of water” and “I create another beauty.”
- Juxtaposition: The poem shows the juxtaposition of ideas such as thorns and flowers in the first verse of the second stanza, such as “Once these thorns were flowers.”
- Metaphor: It is a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between the objects that are different. The poem shows the use of thorns as compared to language and then to flowers.
- Symbolism: Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic meanings that are different from literal meanings. The poem shows the use of the symbols of flowers and thorns.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in Cactus
Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is the analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this poem.
- Free Verse: The poem does not follow any rhyme scheme. Therefore, it is a free-verse poem.
- Stanza: A stanza is a poetic form of some lines. There are four stanzas, with each having a different number of verses.
- Repetition: The poem shows the use of a rhetorical device of repetition that stresses upon the main idea, such as “language” and “thorn.”
Quotes to be Used
These lines from “Cactus” are relevant to use when teaching about persistent attitude.
One thorn for each rare drop of water.
I don’t tempt butterflies,
no bird sings my praise.
I don’t yield to droughts.
