Can someone tell me if this poem is an extended metaphor?

Question

They say the ice will hold
so there I go,
forced to believe them by my act of trusting people,
stepping out on it,

and naturally it gaps open
and I, forced to carry on coolly
by my act of being imperturbable,
slide erectly into the water wearing my captain's helmet,
waving to the shore with a sad smile,
"Goodbye my darlings, goodbye dear one,"
as the ice meets again over my head with a click.



IF this is not an extended metaphor, then what is it? Is it imagery?

Answer 1

Yes, it is an extended metaphor because he holds onto the same basic theme and idea all the way through the entire poem, the ending of life in a sad set of circumstances.

It is fairly clear that the use of ice and its description gets very close to imagery. I usually use the idea that if five people read an example of imagery they could all, independently, draw a similar picture of the scene. Although not precise, this gets pretty close.

Answer 2

I don't think it's an extended metaphor, but it is close.

In order for the metaphor to be an extended metaphor. It has to be the sole character in the poem.

For example, I think the ice is your metaphor for something else. Your interaction with the ice has to be completely literal and not at all figurative in order for the extended metaphor to work.

By the bye, extended metaphors are very difficult to fine tune. People have enough problems working out the kinks in regualr metaphors.

If you have to write an extended metaphor, I would start over and attempt a whole new poem. Write one thing completely in terms of another.

If not, just write the poem that is really hiding in this metaphorical mess.

Answer 3

It's an extended metaphor. He has done something, encouraged by his trust of people, that didn't work out, and because he has this thing to act cool, lets the situation "swallow him up." That is, he didn't necessarily walk on ice too thin and get sunk. But he frames the situation as if that is what he did. So it is an extended metaphor.

Answer 4

I dont really see any metaphor - what I see is purely a narrative poem. It is a straight forward telling of a story isnt it? Pax - C.