Old Men Pitching Horeshoes by X.J. Kennedy Essay

Old Men Pitching Horeshoes by X.J. Kennedy - Essay ExampleThe four old men in the poem heavily employ the deck as a field in which they can perform their activities -- in this case, pitching horseshoes. The images of the old men and the honk itself be quite interesting for they accost of something deeper. In practice, however, the ditch as a human invention is mainly used for controlling flood water. This implies that the ditch, as described in the poem, becomes a knowledge domain in itself rather than a mere tool for civilized men -- particularly young men. The old men fundamentally alter the norm dominant in their time and place. In doing so, they create their own universe even down the worn path of earth. Perhaps the real world or civilization that the characters are immersed into seems to neglect the old mens dignity. To subvert this disrespect marked in an industrialized society, these four men play their game in the ditch as they considered dignity behooves. Moreover, the metaphor of Kennedys poetry can also be seen in the peg imagery. As a marker that defines score or location, the peg as a metaphor represents a system of defined boundaries of roles and all. Society such as a civilized one has its conventional rules and laws that ordain the peoples thoughts and actions. In the context of the poem, these rules include the exclusion of the old men in terms of active participation in the social life.