This commentary on Mama is a Sunrise is enough to answer all your questions and provide you with the best knowledge on literary devices, themes, and everything you need to know about the poem.
Poem – Mama Is A Sunrise
When she comes slip-footing through the door,
she kindles us
like lump coal lighted,
and we wake up glowing.
She puts a spark even in Papa’s eyes
and turns out all our darkness.
When she comes sweet-talking in the room,
she warms us
like grits and gravy,
and we rise up shining.
Even at night-time Mama is a sunrise
that promises tomorrow and tomorrow.
Writer: Evelyn Tooley Hunt
Title
Sunrise awakens some form of excitement in us. The title is a metaphor, correlatingshingng the care of a mother to the good qualities of sunrise.
Speaker/tone
The speaker is a child who is filled with love and admiration for the mother. The tone is that of excitement.
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Content
The 1st stanza characterizes a traditional activity of a mother and its outcome on the household. She comes slip footing and they are excited, wake up glowing puts a spark in Papa’s eyes, and turns out all their gloom. In the 2nd stanza, she comes sweet talking and they are warmed, and rise up shinning.
Imagery And Diction
The images in the poem, allure to our sense of sight and hearing. The diction or choice of words are moderately simple to comprehend and pictured by the reader.
- Line 1: “she comes slip-footing through the door” – Sense of Sight
- Line 4: “we wake up glowing” – Sense of Sight
- Line 7: “she comes sweet-talking in the room” – Sense of Hearing
- Line 10: “we rise up shining” – Sense of Sight
Structure And Meaning
The poem is a 2 stanza poem with 4 sentences. Each stanza has 2 sentences written in 6 lines. The poet seeks to communicate the subsetficance of mother’s presence in the household. Her presence (slip footing) makes wakes them up in high spirits.
Even Papa also father, who might not feel like waking up, is aroused by her presence to wake up. In times of gloom and grief, her optimistic words (sweet talking) cheer them up. The poem ends with Mama symbolizing a continual hope in the family.
Themes
- Mothers bring hope, love and encouragement to a family.
- A loving and caring mother is a durable source of happiness and motivation to her family.
Mood In Mama Is A Sunrise
“Mama” also mother, is a consolation, loving, gratifying figure in every family. In the poem, the poet unveils the rare nature of mothers’ love and affection.
Read Also: 20 Basic & Most Important Literary Devices With Examples
Literary Devices In Mama Is A Sunrise
Simile
a. she kindles us
Like lump coal lighted
b. She warms us
like grits and gravy
Alliteration
like lump coal lighted
…we wake…
…puts… Papa’s
…grits…gravy
Personification
- Even at night-time Mama is a sunriset
- that promises tomorrow and tomorrow.
Repetition
- …tomorrow and tomorrow.
Metaphor
a. The title “Mama is a Sunrise” is a metaphor, comparing Mama to sunrise.
b. She puts a spark in Papa’s eye.
c. …turns out all our darkness.
(darkness is likened to unpleasant moments in the family)
Symbolism
- “Mama” in the poem symbolises ‘Hope’.
Parallelism
a. When she comes slip-footing …
When she comes sweet talking…
b. She kindles us
She warms us
c. like lump coal lighted,
Like grits and gravy,
d. and we wake up glowing.
and we rise up shinning.
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