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on The Right Thing by Theodore Roethke, on March 7, 2004In lines 1 and 6, the word "probe" was changed to "delve." It should then repeat in line 12, but instead a variation of it appears in line 15, with significant changes (in fact, all the two really have in common is the word "mystery.") Then, when it appears in line 18, it is even more unrecognisable than before, once again sharing only the word "mystery." The third line refrain is kept consistent throughout, but it is repeated in line 12 rather than line 15. The poem uses slant rhymes...can, again, man, one, on...will, still, small, all (I'm not sure these can even be considered slant rhymes...will and small, for example, don't even really sound alike.) In conclusion, this is definitely a #3.
Jen.
In lines 4 and 5,
"Leave discontent alone, and she
Will shut her mouth and let you sing."
The enjambment creates a nice alliteration between the end words of each line, "she" and "sing" which improves the flow of the poem. It also emphasizes the effect of the terminal caesura in line four and increases the impact of the phrase "shut her mouth" which provides contrast with the less blunt phrasing of the rest of the poem.
Lines 7 and 8:
“I take some things, or let 'em be--
Good gold has always got the ring;”
takes the rather vague statement in line 7 and relates it to something concrete: gold. It also highlights the contrast between the ambivalent attitude of line 7 (some things, take them or let them be, whatever) and the definite statement in line eight (good gold ALWAYS has the ring). Then there is another enjambment between line 8 and line 9: “The best is good enough for me.” That enjambment serves to connect the refrain to the rest of the tercet stanza, rather than leaving it disjointed and choppy on its own. It also reinforces the relationship between the ideas shown in the first two lines and the repeated statement that “the best is good enough for me.”
Lines 10 and 11:
“Since fate insists on secrecy,
I have no arguments to bring—“
The enjambment here shows cause and effect: since fate does this, I’ll do that. Then the enjambment between lines 11 and 12 comes in to play:
“I have no arguments to bring--
I quarrel not with destiny.”
This enjambment connects two lines that state the same basic concept: the poet’s non-confrontational attitude. He has no arguments, he does not quarrel. He is accepting and serene, and possibly a bit resigned.
Lines 13 and 14:
“The fellow that goes "haw" for "gee"
Will find he hasn't got full swing.”
This enjambment is a breaking apart of a continuous sentence, divided into it’s subject (the guy that gets his “haw” and “gee” mixed up) and what that guy will do (find he hasn’t got full swing).
Lines 16 and 17:
One only knows our needs, and he
Does all of the distributing.
Once again, this creates suspense between the lines...the "he" introduced in line sixteen obviously knows something we don't (he's the only one who knows our needs), so what is it that he's going to do? The distributing. Then comes the enjambment between lines 18 and 19:
I quarrel not with destiny:
The best is good enough for me.
Since the one who knows our needs is doing the distributing, the reader ends the quatrain with the conclusion that is does no good to quarrel with destiny; he accepts the best for what it is, and knows that his needs will be taken care of. The enjambments in the quatrain emphasize the cause and effect relationships between the lines and give a sense of a conclusion being reached.
Yikes, this turned out longer than I thought. Blessings, Jen.