The imagery in the poem, “Full Moon and Little
Frieda” is very interesting and deep. The imagery is quite delicate and
expresses balance. The phrase, “a spider’s web tense for the dews touch” is
important in terms of imagery because it implies that a delicate thing as a
spider web is so vulnerable that even a dew’s touch can vibrateor shake it. The
importance of this is that of the spider’s strength. The spider’s strength is
weakened or lessened by the dew’s touch.
“A pail lifted, still and brimming- mirror
To tempt a first star to a tremor.”
This phrase shows the fact that the water is filled
to the absolute top and can spill. The reflection of the star, in the water,
tremors slightly when the water moves. The importance of this is that the poet
tries to create dramatic effect by giving a description of how the bucket is
almost full of water and how there is danger of it spilling. He uses star,
water and tremor to create extended effect upon the reader.
Further in the poem the poet creates an image in our
minds of cows going towards their home, giving out “warm wreaths of breath”.
This shows that the cows are referred to as boulders and this is very
interesting. Boulders are rugged and curved and the cows are balancing milk.
The milk can fall as boulders are not very steady and balanced. This is very
fine imagery as it shows us the delicacy and softness of the cows carrying the
milk which is not spilled. The imagery till this part of the poem is all very
delicate and balanced. The importance of the imagery until now is that it
creates a very peaceful and subtle atmosphere. The reader feels comforted by
the soft words and the poem imposes the fact that Little Frieda is observing
and listening to all this. She is feeling the calmness around her and it shows
that a human child who is so young is showing an interest to Nature. She is
observing everything intently.
Suddenly, all the balance is disturbed/ finished
when Little Frieda spots the moon and cries out, “Moon!” The word “moon” is
repeated by the writer thrice, every time with an exclamation mark. This is
done so that the word is drilled and stunned into the readers mind. The moon is
noticed by Frieda for the very first time in this sense. A young child like her
is amazed at its power and its wonder.
It is the beginning of awareness and knowledge for her. Never before,
has she looked at the moon from this angle. It is almost like the amazement a
parent feels at the first words of their child. Frieda is looking at the moon
with feelings of joy, excitement and exuberance.
Also, the moon is amazed. The moon is amazed at the
miracle of the sudden awareness of the child. The moon is amazed at the wonder
of the child. The Moon, I feel, has been around for so many years and suddenly
this gesture of appreciation and realization by a child of its existence amazes
the moon.
The poem’s title emphasizes on different sizes. The
adjectives “full” and “little” are used to describe the Moon and Frieda. Even
though both (the moon and Frieda) are different in size, they are deeply
connected. In my opinion, it is an implication that the moon is whole and
Frieda is only a small part of this moon. The moon is the power over Little
Frieda and she is the miracle of the power of the moon. Frieda gives the moon a
sense of living.
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