FAILURE
(Amos Russel Wells)
Summary
The poem talks about failure in its various forms and the corresponding ways to conquer it.
The poet says that if failure is like
• a hill with a jagged and rough pathway, then, do not hesitate but scale it with
determination.
• a fractured bone, do not let it hurt you but set it right.
• a knotted string, work around the mess and untangle it.
• a fast-flowing river, swim through it without allowing yourself to get caught in its current
• a dull marshland, then cross over to better land that is around.
• a dangerous hole that you may have fallen into, get out without wasting any time
• a dark night without light around, be optimistic and wait for sunrise
• a dark piece of coal, then make it bright and beautiful by merging it with success
Poetic devices(Mark it in the textbook)
Rhyme scheme: Each couplet rhymes; AA
Metaphor: The style is metaphorical with failure being compared to various things
Alliteration: broken bone; grin–groan
Repetition: failure; climb it; swim;
Understanding the Text (Qtns 5,6 ,7 in the notebook)
2. No, the poet does not view failure as something negative. For example, he
compares failure to a rocky hill or a broken bone, which are challenging to face but
not insurmountable. These obstacles require us to put in more effort or think
differently to overcome them, but they cannot stop us.
3. a. The commands in each stanza give the impression that the poet is urging us to
do something, instead of preaching what we should do. It is more direct and
personal.
b. I think the poet does not like to be preachy or take a moral high ground. He does
not sound like someone who is beyond human weaknesses or better than others. He
seems to be giving advice from his life experiences, so his advice has more impact.
4. No, I do not think it is always possible to transform failure into success or avoid
failure completely in life. In some situations, we need to be flexible and improvise
our way beyond the obstacle instead of transforming it into success. The poem’s
message is limited in the sense that it does not account for circumstances where it is
impossible to overcome a particular problem. The poem does not tell us that it is all
right to hit a roadblock and change course, if need be.
5. Yes, the phrase ‘tangled string’ can be applied to situations besides failure. It can
refer to a situation that is difficult to navigate or a situation where nothing is clear
and is confusing.
6. The poet has asked the reader to ‘sing’ in an ‘inky night’ because singing here
denotes hope. It signifies having the fortitude and hope to weather adversities and
wait for the right opportunity.
7. The repetition of “Failure is…” at the beginning of each stanza lays emphasis on
how varied and different failure can look from situation to situation. The opening
phrase brings the attention of the reader to what failure feels like to many of us. The
repetition makes the poem’s message stronger and more prominent.
(Going further at the back side of your notebook)
