Poetry Ch. 14 Pattern (4)

"I see a wild civility" (979).

This quote is one of many oxymorons from the poem "Delight in Disorder" by Robert Herrick. The poem consists of many oxymorons. The oxymorons include: "wild civility," "sweet disorder," and "flow confusedly." These oxymorons contribute to the meaning of the poem as a whole. The whole poem is one big contradiction of our normal frame of thought. Usually delight is found in things that are perfect, beautiful, and orderly. However, this poem describes a delight in chaos. It states that things that are off slightly are much better. The structure of the poem is one sentence with the main idea of the poem followed by an example in which this is true. The example it uses is the wardrobe of a person. Everything is just a bit off, and that is what makes it beautiful and delightful. The poem is telling readers that it is better to be a little off because no one can be or should be in perfect order all of the time. It is much better for people to show their individuality. This same message is conveyed in "Much Madness is divinest Sense." Both poems state that to be normal and delightful, you have to be a bit off and individualistic. People usually see conforming as the right thing, but in fact it is sane and delightful to be different and yourself.