Bruce Lundgren

How does Bruce Lundgren explore relationships in his poetry? Refer to at least TWO poems that you have studied.
The concept of a relationship varies drastically from person to person. Everyone has different views on this concept because it does not have only one meaning. Majority of minds agree that a relationship entails a connection between two or more people. Usually interactions such as sharing feelings, a general conversation between eachother are involved. However the most significant part of a relationship is the enjoyment of company in mutual respect. The association with one another comes in the form of kinship, romance, marriage, friendship, acquaintances and so forth. Relationships could be ever-lasting or short. But it is true that the type of relationships depend on the kind of people in them.
Bruce Lundgren has explicitly revealed the importance of relationships through his poems. It is the communication in relationships that is vital to learn about each other. This idea is revealed in both poems, My fathers Dahlias and Menagerie a Trois. In respect, one is a parent-child relationship and the other is a man and animal connection. Lundgren has depicted different types of relationships. The two main aspects are positive and negative outlooks. Both poems are sustained by simple but captivating poetic techniques such as symbolism, sound techniques, personification, similes and rhythm.
Lundgren begins with his spectacular poem, My Father’s Dahlias with symbolism. The poet reflects over his past and he signifies that the dahlias with ‘spiked’ and ‘rigid heads’ reminds them of his father’s appearance. His father is also represented as being conservative when describing the dahlias, ‘standing in precise and ordered rank.’ ‘Sad parable’ has the term referring to a biblical allusion. This quote indicates that the truth of relationship between the father and son has gone astray. Also indicates the father to be ignorant from love like neutral dahlias. These...