THE COAT YOU WEAR
The coat you wear,
Gives the name you bear.
If yours is long,
You took it for a song.
But not at any date,
Will you ever come late.
When your coat is light,
You seem to be bright.
You never get accused,
Of anything overused.
Oh, you have to be good,
With everyone in the hood.
If you have a coat,
With a huge hole like a moat.
You are careless,
And your future hopeless.
Before men you can walk,
But they don't heed your talk.
When yours has a slit,
Then you aren't a misfit.
Yours is a good trend,
That seems not to end.
Your mind is good like a bell,
I say, you're quite well.
Wear one with a color so dull,
And you'll lack time to mull.
You lack in life flavor,
And no one will give you a favor.
Wear a coat well-made,
And your happiness will not fade.
Analysis/ Review of the poem.
A short inspiring poem written by Kevin J. Muricio. This is a narrative poem written in five stanzas with rhyme scheme and rhythm. The poet tone is playful, warm and sweet. The poem passes across a vital moral lesson to it readers about, bringing to their awareness the outcome of every decision take and how they choose to live their lives. This is a must read poem to the youths as they embark on this journey. This poem opens one eyes to the reality they live in and giving them wisdom and insight to navigate themselves throughout it.
Looking at the first stanza, seem to be self explanatory and simple. The explanation to that stanza says “how you live your life/ behave/ ones status give them the name they bear. In other words, what you do modify and describe you. The rest of the lines added more meaning to it, showing it readers what comes next?. Stanza two is also simple and direct which is similar to the point of stanza one.
Stanza three took another turn from positive to negative side of it, showing the what happens when you lives your life wrongs and careless. The nemesis of our action always surface in the end. Stanza four said a similar too. In last stanza five, the poet offers council and wisdom to his audience which is self explanatory, giving me reasons to live a good life and have a good name.
In conclusion, the poet is simply passing across a message to its audience to live a good life and do things that make them happy. I believe that it has a lot to speak to the youths today, because as you lay your bed, so shall you lie. It is not a lie to say that our deeds pays us visits at our old age. This is wisdom to the young generation to live wisely and positive and choose their end from the beginning. This is poem that remind the youths the saying “as you sow, so shall you reap”, therefore they should sow a good seed by living life.
Poetice devices:
Rhyme: one of two or more words thus corresponding in sound at end of the lines. There is used of rhyme scheme in the poem; aa, bb, cc, ddd…
* Symbol and Personification: The word “coat” in the poem symbolizes identification, value, life, status, etc. In the poem, coat personify a lot of things which are animate in nature. personification is seen through out the poem.
* Repetition: the words/phrase like Coat, Wear, You, And etc were repeated rapidly in the poem.