Stabat Mater Analysis - Literary devices and Poetic devices

Stabat Mater

By Sam Hunt

My mother called my father ‘Mr Hunt’
For the first few years of married life.
I learned this from a book she had inscribed:
‘To dear Mr Hunt, from his loving wife.’

She was embarrassed when I asked her why
But later on explained how hard it had been
To call him any other name at first, when he –
Her father’s elder – made her seem so small.

Now in a different way, still like a girl,
She calls my father every other sort of name;
And guiding him as he roams old age
Sometimes turns to me as if it were a game…

That once I stand up straight, I too must learn
To walk away and know there’s no return.

Summary of Stabat Mater

Popularity of “Stabat Mater”: Written by a Kiwi performing poet, writer, and public poet, Sam Hunt, also known as Samuel Percival Maitland Hunt, this beautiful poem presents a son with his father witnessing how his mother pays homage to his father for his lifelong companionship and loyalty. More than this, he sees the power of femininity at work and patriarchy at the service of femininity.
“Stabat Mater” As a Representative of Familial Love: The poet himself seems to be the speaker of this poem. He recalls the married life of his parents, witnessing how his mother called his father by the name of Mr. Hunt, which the poet learned from a book. However, when the son confronts the mother about it, she rather feels embarrassed and explained it later that it was difficult for her to call his father by any other name. It was actually her father who called her husband first by the name of Mr. Hunt and this name stuck with him since then. Now she wants to become a young girl again. That is why she calls him by several other names out of love. However, with the arrival of old age, she has stopped calling him by this name and the poet feels it too that he must learn that there is no return to the same youthful period and the same love.
Major Themes in “Stabat Mater”: Lessons of mother, respect for patriarchy, and the power of femininity are major themes of “Stabat Mater.” However, under cover of the tones of these thematic strands, the poet wants to convey another interesting fact about life; although women conquer patriarchy, they feel the respect, honor, and homage the men deserve as loyal partners. The lesson that the mother instills in her son is to love his wife, be loyal and stay together. However, this is also coupled with the realization that femininity, despite staying low, has a powerful impact on patriarchy, whatever shape it may take.

Analysis of Literary Devices Used in Stabat Mater

Sam Hunt used various literary devices to enhance the intended impact of this poem. Some of the major literary devices are as follows.

Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /a/ in “My mother called my father ‘Mr Hunt’” and the sound of /o/ in “To dear Mr Hunt, from his loving wife.”
Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line in quick succession, such as the sound of /f/ in “first few” or /h/ in “how hard.”
Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /f/ and /r/ in “For the first few years of married life” and the sound of /h/ and /d/ in “But later on explained how hard it had been.”
Enjambment: It is a device in which the meanings of verse roll over to the next without having any pause or punctuation mark. This poem shows the use of enjambment, such as;

That once I stand up straight, I too must learn
To walk away and know there’s no return.

Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. Sam Hunt used imagery in this poem, such as “Her father’s elder – made her seem so small”, “And guiding him as he roams old age” and “Sometimes turns to me as if it were a game”
Metaphor: It is a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between objects different in nature. The poet used different implicit metaphors such as the old age presented as a companion.
Simile: It is a figure of speech for direct comparison to understand the meanings of a thing being compared. For example, the poet used a simile of the naming of old age as a game. The act of naming is compared to playing.
Symbolism: Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic meanings that are different from the literal meanings. The poem shows symbols, such as book, life, wife, and old age to show the life of a married couple.

Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in Stabat Mater

Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is an analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this poem.

Couplet: A couplet comprises two verses mostly rhyming with each other. The final two verses form a couplet.
Diction: It means the type of language. The poem shows good use of formal and poetic diction.
End Verse: It means to use end words rhyming with each other. Therefore, it shows an end rhyme, such as life/wife, and learn/return.
Quatrain: It is a Persian stanza having four verses. The poem has three quatrains.
Tone: It means the voice of the text. The poem shows a loving, pitiful, and suggestive tone.

Quotes to be Used

The following lines are useful to quote when talking about learning a lesson from something.