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Literary Devices
Definition of Alliteration
Alliteration is a figure of speech in which the same sound repeats in a group of words, such as the “b” sound in: “Bob brought the box of bricks to... read full definition
Alliteration is a figure of speech in which the same sound repeats in a group of words, such as the “b” sound in: “Bob brought... read full definition
Alliteration is a figure of speech in which the same sound repeats in a group of words, such as the... read full definition
Chapter 23
Explanation and Analysis—Starship Suspended:
After a member of the Symphony goes missing in the woods, Kirsten finds a note from August in her pocket with a poem written on it, and she is so moved she almost cries:
Late in the day, she found a folded piece of paper in her pocket. She recognized August’s handwriting.
A fragment for my friend—
If your soul left this earth
I would follow and find you
Silent, my starship suspended in night.
In this poem, August is reassuring Kirsten that no matter how lost she gets, he will always find her. The metaphor that this poem has at its center—the “starship suspended in night”—expresses his devotion to Kirsten. He’s saying that his love for and loyalty to her exceed all physical limits. The image of a huge, silent spacecraft floating in an infinite expanse also evokes the idea of navigating the unknown and braving whatever comes to stay with her.
When August says that he would “follow and find” Kirsten if her “soul left this earth,” he’s telling her that even death, if it came, would not separate them. In a world where loss is constant and death is always close, he wants Kirsten to know he will always be with her. The silent, unchangeable finality of this is also supported by the poem’s use of alliteration. The final phrase, “Silent, my starship suspended in night,” employs a kind of alliteration called sibilance, the repetition of multiple /s/ sounds. Sibilance creates a hushed, almost reverent tone, and the softness of “silent,” “starship,” and “suspended” mimics the stillness of deep space or death. It makes the poem feel intimate and solemn, as though August is taking a vow.
Related Themes:
