Paraphrasing of the Poem: “Opportunity” by Walter Malone
First Stanza:
They do me wrong who say I come no more
When once I knock and fail to find you in;
For every day I stand outside your door,
And bid you wake, and rise to fight and win. (offer, tender)
Paraphrasing:
It’s wrong to claim I never return. Even if I knock and you don’t answer,
I still come back every day, urging you to wake up, rise, and seize your
victories.
Second Stanza:
Wail not for precious chances passed away, (valuable)
Weep not for golden ages on the wane! (disappear)
Each night I burn the records of the day-
At sunrise every soul is born again!
Paraphrasing
Don’t lament over missed chances that have gone or mourn the golden moments
of the past. Every night, I erase/remove the day’s record, and every sunrise
offers you a fresh start and a new life.
Third Stanza:
Dost (do) thou (you) behold thy (your) lost youth all aghast? (horrified)
Dost reel from righteous Retribution's blow? (stagger, lose one’s balance)
Then turn from blotted archives of the past, (mark,/stain; past record)
And find the future's pages white as snow.
Paraphrasing:
Do you look back at your lost youth with horror? Do you stagger under the
weight of just punishment? If so, turn away from the stained records of
the past and embrace the future, where its pages remain pure and
untarnished.
Fourth Stanza:
Art thou a mourner? Rouse thee from thy spell;
(are; you; wake up/get up/galvanize; circle)
Art thou a sinner? Sins may be forgiven; (you,)
Each morning gives thee wings to flee from hell,
Each night a star to guide thy feet to heaven.
Paraphrasing:
If you are grieving, shake off your sorrow. If you have sinned,
forgiveness is possible. Each morning gives you the chance to take
out from your dirty life, and each night offers you guidance toward
hope and redemption (return, retrieval).
Fifth Stanza:
Laugh like a boy at splendors that have sped, (magnificence; spent)
To vanished joys be blind and deaf and dumb; (disappear; speechless)
My judgements seal the dead past with its dead,
But never bind a moment yet to come. (tie)
Paraphrasing
Find joy, like a carefree child, in the glories that have already passed.
Ignore lost pleasures entirely, neither seeing, hearing, nor speaking of
them. My decisions confine the past to remain buried with what is gone.
Yet I never limit the endless possibilities of the future.
Sixth Stanza:
Though deep in mire, wring not your hands and weep; ( stick in the mud)
I lend my arm to all who say "I Can!"
No shame-faced outcast ever sank so deep, (rejected person)
But yet might rise and be again a man.
Paraphrasing:
Even if you’re in trouble, don’t lose hope or give up. I help those who are
willing to try and believe in themselves. No one has ever fallen so far in
disgrace or rejection. That they cannot rise again and restore their dignity.
And they can make their life better.
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Rhyme scheme of the poem
THEY do me wrong who say I come no more A
When once I knock and fail to find you in; B
For every day I stand outside your door A
And bid you wake, and rise to fight and win. B
Wail not for precious chances passed away! A
Weep not for golden ages on the wane! B
Each night I burn the records of the day– A
At sunrise every soul is born again! B
Dost thou behold thy lost youth all aghast? A
Dost reel from righteous Retribution's blow? B
Then turn from blotted archives of the past A
And find the future's pages white as snow. B
Art thou a mourner? Rouse thee from thy spell; A
Art thou a sinner? Sins may be forgiven; B
Each morning gives thee wings to flee from hell, A
Each night a star to guide thy feet to heaven. B
Laugh like a boy at splendors that have sped, A
To vanished joys be blind and deaf and dumb; B
My judgments seal the dead past with its dead, A
But never bind a moment yet to come. B
Though deep in mire, wring not your hands and weep; A
I lend my arm to all who say "I can!" B
No shame-faced outcast ever sank so deep A
But yet might rise and be again a man! B
Poem Opportunity by Walter Malone (1866-1915)
Theme of "Opportunity" Poem
The central theme of Walter Malone's poem Opportunity is the power of
resilience and the importance of seizing the chances life offers. The
poem emphasizes that no matter one's past failures, mistakes, or
hardships, life constantly presents new opportunities. These moments
require courage, determination, and a forward-looking attitude to embrace
renewal and achieve success.
Central Idea
The poem revolves around the idea that opportunity is ever-present.
knocking at everyone's door daily. It teaches that the past, with all its
regrets, should not hold us back because each day offers a fresh start
. By taking responsibility for the present and believing in oneself, anyone
can rise above their circumstances and create a better future.
Summary
The poem personifies ‘Opportunity’ as a recurring force that comes to
everyone, urging them to rise and act. It rejects the notion that lost
chances are the end of progress, as each day brings new possibilities.
The speaker advises against lamenting past failures and instead focuses
on the clean slate of the future.The poem offers hope to those who feel
trapped by guilt or failure, reminding them that no one is beyond redemption.
Opportunity is available to anyone who believes in themselves and is willing
to try. Even the most downtrodden can rise again with determination, courage,
and effort. Thus, Opportunity inspires us to take control of our lives and make
the most of the chances we are given.
Literary devices used in the poem Opportunity, along with their definitions:
1. Personification
Definition: Giving human qualities to non-human things or abstract concepts.
Example in the poem: "Opportunity" is personified as an entity that knocks on the door and urges people to rise and act. The poem speaks of opportunity as if it were a person offering help and guidance.
2. Alliteration
Definition: The repetition of the same consonant sounds at the beginning of words in close succession.
Example in the poem: "Stand out side your door"
“Fail to find”
“Deaf and domb”
The repetition of the "s", “f” and "d" sounds creates rhythm and emphasis.
2. Simile:
Definition: the comparison with using the words “as” and "like”.
Example: “And find the future pages white as snow”.
3. Metaphor
Definition: A figure of speech that compares two unlike things without using "like" or "as."
Example in the poem: "I lend my arm to all who say 'I can!'" - Opportunity is metaphorically described as extending a helping hand to those who believe in themselves.
4. Repetition
Definition: Repeating words, phrases, or ideas for emphasis.
Example in the poem: The word "I" is repeated throughout to emphasize the speaker's active role in offering opportunity. Phrases like "rise and be again a man" are also repeated to stress the theme of renewal and second chances.
5. Imagery
Definition: Descriptive language that appeals to the senses, creating a vivid picture in the reader's mind.
Example in the poem: "Each night I burn the records of the day".
“Wings to flee from hell”, and “guide thy feet to heaven”
These lines create vivid imagery.
6. Rhyme Scheme
Definition: The pattern of rhyming words at the end of lines in a poem.
Example in the poem: The rhyme scheme is ABAB throughout of the poem, creating a rhythmic flow that enhances its musicality and reinforces its message.
7. Allusion
Definition: A reference to another text, person, event, or cultural element outside the poem.
Example in the poem: "No shamefaced outcast ever sank so deep" - This could be an allusion to the idea of redemption, suggesting that no matter how low one has fallen, there is always a chance to rise.
8. Antithesis
Definition: The juxtaposition of contrasting ideas in a balanced structure.
Example in the poem: "But never bind a moment yet to come" contrasts with the reference to the dead past, showing that the future is open and full of potential, while the past is final and fixed.
9. Symbolism
Definition: The use of symbols to represent ideas or concepts.
Example in the poem: The "pages white as snow" symbolize a fresh start and unblemished/flawless opportunities, representing the future that is pure and full of potential.
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