Poem #2: Incident in a Rose Garden

The Poem: Incident in the Rose Garden by Donald Justice

Gardener: 
Sir, I encountered Death 
Just now among our roses
Thin as a scythe he stood there.

I knew him by his pictures
He had on his black coat
Black gloves, and broad black hat.

I think he would have spoken, 
Seeing his mouth stood open.
Big it was, with white teeth.

As soon as he beckoned, I ran.
I ran untill I found you.
Sir, I'm quitting my job.

I want to see my sons
Once more before I die.
I want to see California.

Master: 
Sir, you must be that stranger
Who threatened my gardener.
This is my property, sir.

I welcome only friends here.

Death: 
Sir, I knew your father.
And we were friends at the end.

As for your gardener, 
I did not threaten him.
Old men mistake my gestures.

I only ment to ask him
To show me to his master.
I take it you are he?


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Donald Justice was born in Miami, Florida on August 12, 1925. Donald has passed away on August 6, 2004 at Iowa, City. He earned is Bachelors at the University of Miami. And earned his Masters degree at the University of North Carolina. He also studied at Stanford University. One of his famous work is "The Summer Anniversaries". The writing of his poems are in a non-traditional way. He has published 13 of his poems. He won two Notable Awards which were, the Guggenheim Fellowship and Pulitzer Prize. In 2004, his collected of poems were nominated for National Book Award.

PERSONAL RESPONSE:

When I first read this poem, I did not get it. I read it for the second time and finally got it. I was so late at understanding this poem. When my teacher finally explained and elaborated on this poem, I started to like this poem. I find this poem way different from other poems. I love how the poet puts the speaker in the front of the line to know who is saying what. The poet gave Death a personification. By personification, I mean that Death had like things with humans. Death acted as a regular person. Actually, no can see death and I love how the poet made it seem so real. 
I can relate to this poem because I have known two persons in my life who has passed away. Death can come at anytime, anywhere. Nobody knows when that time will be. No can tell. I would love to read more poems made by Donald Justice. The whole world can relate because most of us witnessed people dying. 
This poem has a dialogue with 3 speakers, the old gardener, his master, and Death. The thought of death gives me chills. I mean no wants to die. Life is too precious. We only get one life and why would we waste it? I picture death as a "Grim Reaper". A skull-ed man in a black throb with a hood covering most of his face. I love how the poet made the poem rhyme, it makes the poem way better than it's already is. 

TP-CASTT

TItle: From reading the title, I guessed that there might have been something tragic that happened in the garden. Someone must have died or the roses starts to die.

Paraphrase:
Sir, I have met Death
Just near the roses
Skinny as a stickle he stood there
I recognized him by his pictures
He had a black jacket on
Black gloves, and a large black hat
I think he would have talk
Watching his mouth open
It was big and white
Before he could make a gesture I ran
I ran until I found you
Sir, I am going to resign my job
I want to see my sons
One more time before I die
I want to see California
Master: Sir, you must be the outsider
Who scared away my gardener
This is my estate sir.
Only people I know are welcomed here
Death: I know your father
We friends at the end
For your gardener
I did not scare him away
He was false about my movements.
I only wanted to ask him
To show me to his master
I think that it's you

Connotation:
1. Structure- 3 lines in a stanza, couplets, run-on lines, Meter- iambic tetrameter, Rhyme scheme- , Punctuations- commas, periods, question marks
2. Speaker- Old gardener, master, and death
3.Figurative Language- Simile (thin as scythe), personification (I ran), alliteration ("He had his black coat on.")
Imagery & Reptition (black coat, black gloves, and a black hat)
4. Repetition- All speeches starts with "Sir" 

Attitude: In the beginning of the poem, the tone of the gardener is fear. And when it came to the part where the Master was talking to death he had a strict with confidence tone. While Death was mellow.

Shifts:
1. First 3 stanzas- The old gardener describing Death.
2. Stanzas 4 & 5- The gardener begging to go back to California.
3. Stanza 6- The master talking to Death
4. Stanzas 7-9- Death talking and asking if he is the master.
5. Line 7 & 8 is a couplet."I think he would have spoken. Seeing his mouth stood open."

Title: After reading this poem, I was so shock. By "incident" the poet meant that death took the master in the rose garden. The master was the owner of the rose garden.

Theme: Death can happen anytime, anywhere, to anyone.

REFERENCE (APA-6): 
Justice, D. (1967). Incident in a Rose Garden. Poem Hunter. Online. Website. Retrieved from http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/incident-in-a-rose-garden-by-donald-justice/
 1967