Nonsense Verse Poem: Find Your Thankful Self

Syamsul Arief, an English teacher from Cirebon, West Java, Indonesia, analyzes a nonsense verse poem entitling Find Your Thankful Self narrated by Joanna Fuchs. He comments that the poem is appropriate for all level, from junior high school to university level. For junior high school level especially MTs/SMP students, this poem is good to be taught. Beside the language is simple, the content has deep meaning as well. Through this poem, the teacher can invite the students to always thank for all condition to God.

Find Your Thankful Self

By Joanna Fuchs

Sometimes you feel you're nothing at all,
And that's all you'll ever be.
You study all your defects;
An empty life is all you see.

Instead of looking at what you haven't got,
Seeing only what you lack,
Focus on your blessings,
And get right back on track.

There are many good things about being you;
Count them one by one.
Your life has lots of comforts,
While others, they have none.

Many people have it much, much worse
Yet they have happiness.
They take joy in little things
They're thankful, though they have less.

Lift your spirits up right now;
Get out of that depression.
Find your thankful self,
And give it full expression.

Find the joy in little things;
Focus on fun and laughter.
See life's blessings all around,
And live happily ever after!

1.  Paraphrase of the poem.

     This poem tells how someone say thank you to God for everything that has been given. Because, by giving thanks to God will reflect thanks to self. By looking at other condition will produce sensitivity of someone’s emotional to share and care with each other.

2.  Poetic Devices

     a.  Rhyme

          This poem has rhyme for each stanza in every 2^nd and 4^th line. (b-b)

          -    Stanza 1: ever be – you see

          -    Stanza 2: you lack – on track

          -    Stanza 3: by one – have none

          -    Stanza 4: have happiness – have less

          -    Stanza 5: depression – expression

          -    Stanza 6: fun and laughter – happily ever after!

          This poem also has rhyme scheme: a – b – c – b

     b.  Rhythm

          This poem does not have any certain rhythm. The reader can make their own rhythm.

     c.  Alliteration: No alliteration in this poem.

     d.  Onomatopoeia: No onomatopoeia in this poem.

     e.  Repetition: Only phrase “joy in little things” (in stanza 4 line 3 and in stanza 6 line 1). The writer shows that there is a joy even in the little things.

     f.  Comparison: No comparison in this poem

     g.  Imagery: Hyperbole

          -    The first stanza: An empty life

          -    The third stanza: count them one by one

3.  Kinds of Stanza

     This poem has 4 lines in each stanza, so it is called Quatrain.

4.  Poetic diction. This poem contains Connotation words/phrases as stated follow:

     a. The phrase “you’re nothing at all” in the first stanza line 1 is chosen by the writer to show that human is little and has no everything in his life.

     b. The phrase “an empty life” in first stanza line 4 has meaning not really empty like a glass without water. It is only the description of being lonely in his life without someone who cares about him.

     c. The phrase “and get right back on track” in the second stanza line 4 has meaning that track is the right path, the good way in filling the life. It also means if we have fault, we should remember the God and forgive for all mistakes.

5.  Content

Theme	Thankful self.
Tone	Melancholic
Message	We should always say thank self for everything that happens in our life as a reflection for saying thank you to our God.
Symbol	No symbol in this poem

6.  Comment

     This poem is appropriate for all level, from junior high school to university level. For junior high school level especially MTs/SMP students, this poem is good to be taught. Beside the language is simple, the content has deep meaning as well. Through this poem, the teacher can invite the students to always thank for all condition to God.