A Breakfast For Barbarians Poetry Analysis A Breakfast For Barbarians Written By: Gwendolyn MacEwen Analyzed By: Owen Stuart

The Poem http://www.poetryinvoice.com/poems/breakfast-barbarians

What Does this Poem Mean? When you hear the word “barbarian” what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Brutal mindless killing machines that care about nothing but murder and blood, well that's just what popped into my head. But what this poem is saying is that not all barbarians live for death, and violence, but for the knowledge and brains of a book. The author is explaining it like these people enjoying and gaining knowledge are these barbarians gathered around a table about to chow down on a glorious meal.

Line Analysis Stanza #1 my friends, my sweet barbarians, : This line is telling us that these people are referring to themselves as barbarians. there is that hunger which is not for food — : Explaining that these “barbarians” are hungry for knowledge. but an eye at the navel turns the appetite round : Seeing the food, or books in front of them make them seem happy and excited. with visions of some fabulous sandwich, : This “sandwich” is something like a book. the brain’s golden breakfast : Explaining that the best food to feed your brain is knowledge. eaten with beasts : Talking about the others who have interest in reading, and writing. with books on plates : Dining on nothing but what they want the most (knowledge) The whole first stanza is talking about how people who enjoy reading and gaining knowledge are like barbarians and a table full of food sitting in front of them.

Line Analysis Stanza #2 let us make an anthology of recipes, : Figure out a plan to succeed in life. let us edit for breakfast : Edit for writing novels, or story's that need to be heard. our most unspeakable appetites — : Cant express the feeling of wanting to learn so badly. let us pool spoons, knives – and all cutlery in a cosmic cuisine, : Tells us that these “barbarians” have class and knowledge let us answer hunger : Explaining that hunger is the problem that needs to be solved like a crave for education. with boiled chimera : “Chimera” ( mythical creature) showing their imaginations, and sense of creativity. and apocalyptic tea, : Meaning that tea is the drink for the brain. an arcane salad of spiced bibles, : Showing that the bibles are a key ingredient in this “salad” tossed dictionaries — (O my barbarians we will consume our mysteries) – Find out the                                                    This stanza of the poem talks more about how much these people would like to succeed in life as barbarians want to eat.

Line Analysis Stanza #3 and can we, can we slake the gaping eye of our desires? : Fulfil there dreams of becoming something one day superior to who they are today. we will sit around our hewn wood table : The table of which is used to do work. until our hair is long and our eyes are feeble, : They will do nothing but gain the knowledge to live a successful life. eating, my people, O my insatiates, : Explains that the barbarians are feasting on the glorious knowledge. eating until we are no more able : Want to keep learning until they’re brains explode to jack up the jaws any longer — : Finally able to begin feasting, and absorbing from others. In this stanza the barbarians have began their feast intaking all knowledge that is able to be taken

Line Analysis Stanza #4 to no more complain of the soul’s vulgar cavities, : Explains that people should no longer have very many problems when you have knowledge at disposal. to gaze at each other over the rust-heap of cutlery, : People glancing over at each other to see what the others have decided to intake knowledge from. (book) drinking a coffee that takes an eternity — till, bursting, bleary, : Showing that these Rage induced “barbarians” drink coffee just like anybody else. we laugh, barbarians, and rock the universe — : Enjoying the feeling of increasing your ability to and exclaim to each other over the table : The table possibly in a workspace such as a library surrounded by books. over the table of bones and scrap metal : Bones being pencils, and scrap metal being paper. over the gigantic junk-heaped table : Explaining the table that is full of food or a mind full of information. Showing that the people only refer to themselves as barbarians because they share the same feeling of totally different things.

Line Analysis Stanza #5  by God that was a meal – Signifies the ending of the meal, or “session of learning for the day” This ending stanza simply states that the end of the feast has occurred. (Time to put down the books)

Poetic Devices describing words: till, bursting, bleary, metaphors: My friends, my sweet barbarians. personification: let us answer hunger vivid language: there is that hunger which is not for food word choice: Consume our mystery Hyperbole: we laugh, barbarians, and rock the universe why does the poet choose these words? What effect do they have on the overall poem? The Poet chose these words because their trying to explain that these "barbarians" are having a meal of knowledge. The line "there is that hunger which is not for food" is explaining that they have a craving for knowledge.

The End Written By: Gwendolyn MacEwen Analyzed By: Owen Stuart