metaphors? HELP?

Question

where are the metaphors in this poem?


yes, dear departed, cherished days,
Could Memory's hand restore
Your morning light, your evening rays,
From Time's gray urn once more,
Then might this restless heart be still,
This straining eye might close,
And Hope her fainting pinions fold,
While the fair phantoms rose.

But, like a child in ocean's arms,
We strive against the stream,
Each moment farther from the shore
Where life's young fountains gleam;
Each moment fainter wave the fields,
And wider rolls the sea;
The mist grows dark, -- the sun goes down, --
Day breaks, -- and where are we?

Answer 1

like a child in ocean's arms

In language, a metaphor (from the Greek: metapherin rhetorical trope) is defined as a direct comparison between two or more seemingly unrelated subjects. In the simplest case, this takes the form: "The [first subject] is a [second subject]." More generally, a metaphor casts a first subject as being or equal to a second subject in some way. Thus, the first subject can be economically described because implicit and explicit attributes from the second subject are used to enhance the description of the first. This device is known for usage in literature, especially in poetry, where with few words, emotions and associations from one context are associated with objects and entities in a different context.

Answer 2

This poem has few direct metaphors. The metaphors are mostly implied. "Life's young fountains" could be a reference to the fountain of youth, or the fact that life seems to overflow with possiblities when a person is young. "Time's gray urn" seems to recall ancient times, and gray hairs- implying that time itself is ancient, wise, and priceless. The poem is filled with more personification than metaphors. "Ocean's arms" and "Memory's hand", "restless heart", "fair phantoms", waving fields and Hope folding her pinions are all examples of personification-giving a non-human thing, human qualities, "Like a child" is a simile- a comparison using like, as, or than.

Answer 3

Think of a metaphore as a fictional word or phrase to descibe something else. This poem has metaphores all over it, for example:
"like the child in ocean's arms"... Is this possible? No, oceans don't have "arms". This is a metaphore to describe in a more interesting way the point that they want to get across. Normal words used in writing get "boring" so they use metaphores to make reading more interesting, you really have to use your imagination with metaphores to understand them or how to look for them in this poem.

Answer 4

“A figure of speech in which a word or phrase that ordinarily designates one thing is used to designate another, thus making an implicit comparison, as in ‘a sea of troubles’ or ‘All the world's a stage’” - Dictionary.com

Answer 5

"like a child in ocean's arms" is one....if there are any more, then it's kind of difficult to tell.