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Chapter 3 The Structure of Modern Poetry (Part III) In modern poetic narration, the interweaving of a main line and a sub-line is a common method of structural organization:
From the perspective of rhetorical aesthetics, this structural method has the following features:
This structure is especially suitable for narrative poetry, epic poetry, or socially oriented poetry, as it can simultaneously present event progression and psychological depth as dual threads. Poem analysis “Journey” by Zheng Chouyu Speak to me, a mildly warm sunset, like And this year we walk along the railway Let that infant, like a meteor In “Journey,” the reader sees one of the most tragic stories in human life: famine caused by war forces countless civilians to flee. During the escape, the protagonist and his pregnant wife take refuge in many friends’ homes. Later, while fleeing along the railway out of the disaster zone, the pregnant wife dies tragically. This forms the main narrative line. In the sub-line, after the protagonist suffers the devastating loss of his wife, he feels life is no longer worth clinging to and sighs: “Anyway, after the famine years there will still be war / I might as well remain a mercenary / (I might as well remain a mercenary) / I have been a husband, a father, and almost reached the end.” This lament is, in fact, an expression of the “orphan archetype”—a sense of self-exile born from despair after repeated abandonment and failure. This kind of tragedy bears witness to a turbulent era and leaves readers with a profound sense of helplessness. Through the story of a destitute man in chaotic times, the poem expresses an anti-war compassion and humanistic concern. It carries universal moral value and a clear function of emotional purification. Among Zheng Chouyu’s lyric-based works, this poem is relatively rare, yet deeply profound and striking. Main narrative line
Sub-line: psychological narration
Rhetorical and artistic highlights
Overall effect
Summary:
Interweaving of main and sub-lines as narrative structure Using the main line as the axis and the sub-line as supplementary explanation, this is the method adopted by most narrative poems. (8) Interweaving of explicit line and implicit line In modern poetry creation, the interweaving of explicit line and implicit line is a subtle structural strategy:
From the perspective of rhetorical aesthetics, this structure has the following features:
This structure is commonly found in fable-like poetry, metaphorical poetry, or philosophical lyric poetry, allowing works to possess both readability and intellectual depth. Poem analysis “Love Poem of Tea” by Zhang Cuo 4 In this short poem, the surface imagery shows tea leaves and a teapot interacting through water as a medium. The tea leaves release their color, becoming tea. However, beneath this surface layer lies a deeper meaning: the emotional relationship between a man and a woman. The woman is the tea leaves, the man is the teapot that contains her. Through a period of interaction—“the time of a cup of tea”—their emotions are formed and blended, resulting in “becoming a single color.” Explicit line analysis
Implicit line analysis
Rhetorical highlights
Overall effect
Summary “Love Poem of Tea” uses the interweaving of explicit line (tea leaves, teapot, water interaction) and implicit line (love and emotional fusion) to present both visible action and hidden emotion within a concise text, demonstrating dual-layer meaning. It is a model of allegorical lyric poetry. III. Forms of structural composition Modern poetic texts commonly adopt the following structural forms: unsegmented (integrated form), two-part structure, three-part structure, four-part structure, and multi-part structure. (1) Unsegmented form A continuous structure without divisions, commonly used in micro-poetry and short poems, forming a self-contained organic whole. “Black Eyes” by Gu Cheng “Stream” by Chen Chufei (2) Two-part structure Includes causal and contrastive structures. The causal form has a cause in the first part and effect in the second, forming coherence. The contrastive form places opposing ideas in parallel, forming mutual contrast. ① Causal structure “Water Moon” by Xiang Yang The first section presents the “cause”—the approach of “you,” while the second section presents the “effect”—the hesitation of “I.” The final line, “my cold gaze is fiery, your fiery kiss is cold,” presents paradoxical contrast. ② Contrast structure “Inflation” by Fei Ma A handful of banknotes This poem contrasts “past” and “present,” expressing helplessness in a time of currency depreciation. (3) Three-part structure Composed of introduction (problem statement), body (analysis), and conclusion (resolution). “Youth” by Xi Murong The structure moves from memory → reflection → conclusion, forming a coherent emotional arc. The final statement, “Youth is a book too hastily written,” serves as resolution. (4) Four-part structure Following “beginning, development, turn, conclusion.” “You Say” by Bei Dao The poem progresses through encounter, intimacy, celebration, and separation, forming a structured emotional narrative. (5) Multi-part structure More than four sections, typically narrative in form: prologue → development → turning point → conflict → climax → ending “One Flowering Tree” by Xi Murong The poem constructs a romantic tragedy through sequential narrative stages, forming a complete emotional storyline. Xi Murong’s poetry has been widely influential for decades. “One Flowering Tree” begins by setting the desire for love as “meeting you at my most beautiful moment,” then develops through prayer, transformation, flowering imagery, emotional anticipation, rejection, and finally heartbreak. Each stage corresponds to a structural function, forming a complete narrative arc. Summary: IV. What Kind of Organizational Structure Is Adopted? I. Definition of Literary Structure In linguistics, structure reflects the internal rules and relational patterns of language, such as phonemes, morphemes, words, and syntactic structures. Structural linguist Ferdinand de Saussure pointed out that linguistic structure is a system of signs, and the meaning of linguistic units is produced through their oppositions with other units. In literature, structure involves aspects such as plot arrangement, character relationships, narrative perspective, and themes; these components work together to create specific reading effects. For example, the structure of a novel can express particular themes or ideas through the psychological development of the protagonist, plot turning points, and the arrangement of the ending. II. Structure in Modern Poetry Works (I) Vertical Structure Generally, images are arranged according to the temporal progression of events or causal relationships. This structure has the characteristics of a clear beginning and ending, distinct layers, sequential continuity, and mutual echoing. In rhetoric, it resembles devices such as “sequential parallelism” and “epanalepsis (chain repetition).”
When I grew up Later on And now In form, this poem uses “sectional parallelism,” and in meaning it is a typical use of “sequential parallelism.” Three main threads intertwine: (1) in time: progression from “when I was young – when I grew up – later on – and now”; (2) in space: development from “studying away – staying in a foreign place – life and death separation – separation across the strait”; (3) in kinship: between the poet and his mother, also evolving through “exchanging letters – returning home by boat to visit – separation between heaven and earth – separation between two sides of the sea (political divide).” This poem uses sequential parallelism to unfold through time, space, and kinship, so the imagery is vivid and perceptible, and the repeated sentence structures are neat and balanced, giving each stanza the characteristics of a lyrical style with “melodic circular repetition” and “rhythmic uniformity.”
Please read me — please read me carefully Yang Ze’s poem “Smoke” uses parallel imagery in a negative form, gradually revealing a sense of existence without concrete characteristics. Through a series of negative statements and metaphors, the poem conveys a questioning of the essence of life and the ambiguity of existence, expressing a strong awareness of life emerging from the formless. Structure and internal meaning of parallel imagery:
In the latter half of the poem, “not palm, not face, not clock, not stele” further strengthens this negation, eventually revealing a “tiny lowercase i shrunk 800 billion times,” an infinitely small existence, which metaphorically suggests the inner smallness and fragility of the self.
At the end of the poem, “soul, a strand of smoke rising fiercely from the crematorium” delivers these parallel images to the final image of “smoke.” Smoke, as a turning metaphor, moves from concrete to formlessness, completing the essence of “formlessness,” expressing the persistence and immortality of the soul.
“Please read me — please read me carefully” is the poet’s plea for understanding, yet it simultaneously reveals the difficulty of comprehension, because the imagery is repeatedly negative, challenging the reader’s perception of physical existence and making understanding blurred and elusive. This emphasizes the poem’s core idea of the “immortal soul,” with “smoke” as its final symbol, conveying reflection on life and existence. Through these parallel structures, Yang Ze successfully constructs a contradictory and ambiguous sense of “being,” making “smoke” a symbol of the soul and expressing philosophical reflection on life. (II) Horizontal Structure Horizontal structure is suitable for freely arranging materials in poetry, forming a collage effect. For example, the rhetorical device “arranged brocade” places many images in sequence, creating visual or semantic contrast or resonance. Similar to the postmodern technique of “imagery collage,” this arrangement places fragmented images together, producing a scattered yet structured composition, allowing readers to capture poetic meaning from each image during reading.
Chen Kehua’s “Station Message” uses a horizontal structure. Each line of the poem is like fragments of messages posted on a station notice board. The horizontally arranged sentences display different people’s inner emotions, life fragments, and interpersonal connections. This structure does not have continuous time or logical sequence; instead, through parallel arrangement, it allows readers to see multiple intersecting life fragments, as if countless strangers briefly cross paths in a station. (1) Use of horizontal structure These horizontally arranged fragments together construct a complex and fluid slice of life, like different life moments gathered in a station, intersecting yet independent, forming the overall structure and emotional atmosphere of the poem. (2) Use of imagery collage Each image does not directly connect, but within the horizontal structure they form a collage effect, collectively depicting a chaotic scene of people and events at a station moment. The meanings produced by this collage are ambiguous, yet they stimulate readers’ thinking and imagination. The interweaving of different images allows readers to move between different situations, experiencing the fragmentation, life texture, and emotional fluctuation of the poem. Four. What kind of organizational structure is adopted? I. Definition of literary structure In literary texts, structure refers to an organized, ordered, and interrelated way in which systems or elements are arranged. Starting from the basic concept, structure can be understood as the arrangement and relationships among parts within a system, and it usually expresses how the whole constructs a specific meaning or function through the combination of its elements. In linguistics, structure reflects the internal rules and relational patterns of language, such as phonemes, morphemes, words, and syntactic structures. The structuralist linguist Ferdinand de Saussure pointed out that linguistic structure is a system of signs, and the meaning of linguistic units is produced through their oppositions with other units. In literature, structure involves aspects such as plot arrangement, character relations, narrative perspective, and themes. These components work together to create specific reading effects. For example, the structure of a novel can express a particular theme or idea through the protagonist’s psychological growth, plot turning points, and the arrangement of the ending. II. Structure in modern poetry Modern poetry, according to the internal relationships among its textual materials, can be divided into the following types: vertical or horizontal arrangement, interwoven vertical-horizontal structure, parallel structure, progressive structure, combined parallel-progressive structure, contrast structure, causal structure, and stream-of-consciousness structure. Through the following explanations, both poetic creation and readers can gain a preliminary understanding of the internal structure of modern poetry. (I) Vertical structure This structural type unfolds along emotional or temporal verticality (a linear time axis), with strong logical coherence, gradually leading to a climax. For example, Yu Guangzhong’s “Homesickness” and Yang Ze’s “Smoke” express emotional attachment to the homeland through temporal sense and narrative progression. Generally, imagery is arranged according to the temporal sequence of events or causal relationships. This structure has the characteristics of having a beginning and an end, clear layers, continuity, and mutual echoing. In rhetorical terms, it corresponds to devices such as “successive parallelism” and “epanalepsis-like progression (top-structure repetition).”
When I was small When I grew up Later on And now This poem formally uses stanzaic parallelism, and semantically it is a typical case of “successive parallelism.” Three main threads intertwine: (1) temporally: from “when I was small – when I grew up – later on – and now,” (2) spatially: from “studying away from home – staying as a guest in other places – life-and-death separation – separation across the strait,” and (3) in kinship: between the poet and his mother, evolving from “exchanging family letters – returning home by ship – separation between life and death – separation between two places divided by political barriers and freedom.” Through successive parallelism across time, space, and kinship, the poem presents clear and perceptible imagery. The uniform sentence patterns also give each stanza a lyrical quality of “melodic recurrence and rhythmic uniformity.”
Read me—read me carefully Read me—read me carefully, carefully Read me—read me carefully Read me—read me carefully In Yang Ze’s poem “Smoke,” parallel imagery is used in a negating form to gradually reveal an existence lacking concrete characteristics. Through a series of negative sentences and metaphors, the poem conveys a questioning of the essence of life and the ambiguity of existence, expressing a strong awareness of life emerging from formlessness. Structure and internal meaning of the parallel imagery:
The poem opens with “Read me—read me carefully,” functioning as a repeated call, like a voice seeking understanding. However, the following lines layer negations such as “a palm without palm lines,” “a face without features,” “a clock without markings and without hands,” and “a monument without inscription and without date.” These negated images construct a refusal of concrete human features, as if attempting to detach the self from worldly labels. In the second half of the poem, “neither palm nor face nor clock nor stele” further intensifies this negation, shifting toward “a scaled-down 800-billion-times version of a lowercase thin ‘i’,” an infinitesimal existence, metaphorically indicating the fragility and minuteness of the inner self.
First, the sequence of “palm, face, clock, stele” forms a set of identity-related symbols, ranging from body to time to history. Their negation suggests an invisible existence—a soul stripped of all recognizable worldly labels. At the end, “the soul, a blazing plume of smoke rising from the crematorium” assigns the ultimate destination of these parallel images to “smoke.” Smoke, as a turning image, moves from the concrete to the formless, completing the essence of “formlessness” and expressing the soul’s persistence and imperishability.
The internal structure gradually reveals self-existence and finally presents an existence that cannot be concretized. This deepening process forms the poem’s central theme: the inquiry into soul and existence. “Read me—read me carefully” is a plea for understanding, but also reveals the difficulty of comprehension, since the images are repeatedly negated, challenging the reader’s perception of physical existence. Ultimately, the poem emphasizes the “imperishable soul,” with “smoke” as its final symbol, conveying reflections on life and existence. Through these parallel structures, Yang Ze successfully constructs a contradictory and ambiguous sense of existence, making “smoke” a symbol of the soul and expressing philosophical reflection on life. (II) Horizontal structure This is a structural form that slices phenomena horizontally, presenting different cross-sections. The poet arranges various details or images side by side, revealing multiplicity and deeper structure through juxtaposition, allowing readers to recombine and imagine without a clear temporal or logical sequence. Horizontal structure is suitable for freely arranging materials in poetry, creating a collage effect. For example, the rhetorical device “list collage” places multiple images together, forming visual or semantic contrast or resonance. Similar to postmodern “image collage,” this arrangement creates a fragmented yet structured composition.
Amei, A-Cao Chen Kehua’s “Station Message” uses a horizontal structure. Each line resembles a note pasted on a station bulletin board, presenting fragmented messages of different people. This arrangement is not continuous in time or logic; instead, it juxtaposes multiple life fragments, like countless strangers briefly intersecting in a station. The horizontal structure treats each short line as a cross-section, independent yet subtly connected. For example: “I have taken the 11:37 southbound train—I do not hate you” conveys a decisive departure with calmness; “If the typhoon arrives tomorrow” introduces uncertainty and impending change; “Father leaves note. Child, remember me” and “Money, don’t wait for me” reveal different voices, implying attachment and separation. These juxtaposed fragments construct a fluid, chaotic life scene, like overlapping human moments in a station, producing a fragmented and emotional poetic atmosphere. (III) Interwoven vertical-horizontal structure This structure uses event progression and time as the vertical axis, and different plot contents and imagery as the horizontal axis. These two axes interweave, maintaining temporal continuity while allowing spatial and material juxtaposition, producing layered narrative clarity and avoiding monotony.
This is not the first time I have heard her name If this is an inescapable fate This is not the first time I have heard her story If this is an unavoidable ending Hsia Yu’s poem demonstrates an interwoven vertical-horizontal structure, intertwining emotional change and narrative development, forming both temporal continuity and layered emotional structure. (1) Vertical development of time: repeated phrases such as “This is not the first time I have heard her name/story” indicate continuity and accumulation of experience, creating a sense of fate. (2) Horizontal interweaving of plot: repeated lines such as “You are the wandering lover we both love/theme” construct a complex triangular relationship, where emotions are not simple jealousy but mixed understanding and acceptance. (3) Emotional depth and parallel arrangement: repeated “I do not really…” statements conceal true emotions, revealing internal conflict, jealousy, loneliness, and fate. Through this structure, the poem forms a dynamic emotional network, allowing readers to reflect on unavoidable competition and loneliness in love. (IV) Parallel structure This structure describes all aspects of things in parallel, without hierarchy, fully revealing multiple facets, similar to rhetorical devices such as parallelism, antithesis, and list collage. “Autobiography of a Sloppy Man” / Guan Guan Kindergarten one year, elementary one year, middle school one year Five romances, two lovers, one wife, three children Military service for several years, eating rations for several years, but never fought On the battlefield of life, I have won small victories a few times, and raised surrender flags many times Sitting in the sunset holding my knees, lost in thought In Guan Guan’s “Autobiography of a Sloppy Man,” the parallel structure effectively presents the protagonist’s life condition. Through parallel sentences, it reveals a multifaceted existence.
The poem begins by listing educational stages from kindergarten to doctorate, then subverts expectations with “Fortunately, I did not finish any of them,” creating irony and tension. It continues with parallel listing of relationships: “five romances, two lovers, one wife, three children,” presenting emotional complexity in a structured form.
Further lists include enemies, friends, relatives, clothing, food, habits—all presented in parallel, revealing a fragmented but complete life portrait.
The closing line emphasizes contemplation and solitude through parallel accumulation of imagery. (V) Progressive structure This structure advances step by step, deepening meaning from shallow to deep, from surface to essence, from part to whole, similar to rhetorical progression. “Lotus” / Guan Guan “That place was once lakes upon lakes of soil” This poem uses progressive structure to deepen meaning step by step.
It begins with soil as origin, then shifts to lotus flowers as life, then to marshes and buildings, indicating environmental transformation.
Nature becomes urban space, reflecting human impact.
Final reversal suggests persistence of lotus imagery even in urbanization. (VI) Combined parallel-progressive structure This structure combines both parallel and progressive organization, increasing both breadth and depth. “Friction: Beyond Description” / Hsia Yu Cat today hears This poem uses a combined parallel-progressive structure.
Repeated parallel phrases such as “cat,” “my forgetting,” “my guilt” create multiple simultaneous planes of meaning.
Imagery moves inward from external interaction to internal emotional states such as insomnia, wilderness, and fragmentation.
The ending unifies all fragments into a coherent emotional closure, revealing dependency and relational dynamics. Thus the poem forms a layered, dynamic emotional system.
This structure divides materials into two opposing parts and describes them separately, forming a clear contrast between sections or poetic imagery. This structural method originates from the aesthetic idea of the “unity of opposites.” Opposing things or emotions are placed together within the text, forming a binary contrast pattern of one positive and one negative, allowing readers to obtain a vivid impression. Using this structure can create sharp contrasts in color, imagery, and essence, fully displaying the polarity of emotions and achieving a harmonious unity. It can also allow character images and personalities to be sharply reflected, making characters more prominent. Furthermore, it can present arguments from both positive and negative perspectives, forming a parallel contrast that clearly reveals right and wrong. “Water Song” / Xiang Yang Cheers. Twenty years later Casual. Twenty years ago Xiang Yang’s poem Water Song presents the passage of time and the changes it brings through a contrast structure. By using two clearly opposing temporal sections, the poem deepens its emotion and theme. The following is an analysis of its contrast structure.
In the “twenty years later” section, the poet depicts aging: “we will surely all have grown old, like fallen leaves scattered everywhere,” presenting the impermanence of life and the changes of nature. In contrast, the “twenty years ago” section describes youth: “we were still very young, like blossoms on luxuriant branches,” vividly portraying vitality and beauty.
In contrast, the “twenty years ago” lines are full of vitality. The image of “tomorrow morning’s fallen petals tracing the rain” implies hope and anticipation of beauty.
For example, “please listen to us by the west window, chanting, slowly singing autumn colors” presents a harmonious and tranquil scene, while “lighting lanterns” suggests remembrance and reluctance toward the past. Through contrast structure, Xiang Yang’s Water Song effectively expresses a profound reflection on the passage of time. The opposition between “twenty years later” and “twenty years ago” not only strengthens the formal structure of the poem but also evokes emotional resonance in readers. This contrast reveals both the impermanence and preciousness of life, as well as the wisdom of finding harmony within change. (VIII) Causal structure This structure organizes materials according to causal relationships in objective phenomena, allowing the causes of events to lead to their results, or the results to be traced back to their causes. “End of Poetry” / Xuan Hong Love is a blood-written poem and I have already bowed my head even if my tears, because I miss you Xuan Hong’s poem End of Poetry explores the complexity of love through a causal structure, interweaving emotional dimensions with chains of cause and effect. The following is a detailed analysis of its causal structure.
It then states: “the blood of joy and the blood of self-torment are equally sincere,” expressing that both pleasure and pain in love require sincerity. Here, the “cause” is sincerity, while the “effects” are both joyful and self-tormenting expressions of love.
It continues: “because in love, you must forgive,” emphasizing tolerance as a requirement of love. Love forces people to face imperfections, forming a causal progression in which love’s depth necessitates forgiveness, enabling endurance of harm.
When the poet writes “and forcing me to cry out a vein of clear spring, and never releasing me,” emotional expression becomes inevitable under constraint, reflecting suffering and tears within love.
Finally, the repeated “because it is inevitable” and “because fate is absolutely tyrannical” elevate the causal logic to the level of destiny, allowing emotional pain and fate’s cruelty to resonate together. In End of Poetry, Xuan Hong skillfully employs causal structure to present the complexity and contradiction of love. Emotional fluctuations and the constraints of fate are intertwined, producing a deep and sincere emotional texture. This structure not only enhances emotional tension but also allows readers to perceive the coexistence of pain and beauty in love, prompting reflection on the essence of love. (IX) Stream-of-consciousness structure This structure organizes materials according to the flow of the self’s consciousness. It breaks through limitations of time and space, allowing past, present, and future to interweave freely. Everything unfolds according to the movement of thought. The writing follows the flow of cognition, producing depth, immediacy, and a special aesthetic effect of lived experience. “Like a Songful Andante” / Ya Xian Necessity of gentleness and since one is regarded as a river, one must continue flowing Guanyin is on the distant mountain Ya Xian’s poem Like a Songful Andante uses a stream-of-consciousness structure to display the flow of inner thought and feeling through constantly shifting consciousness. This structure breaks traditional limitations of time and space, interweaving past, present, and future into a complex and delicate emotional experience.
For example, “you not being Hemingway—this basic recognition” triggers associations with Hemingway’s literary world and the poet’s own lived experience, functioning both as recollection and present expansion of thought.
This jumpy imagery reflects inner struggle and search, as if exploring what is necessary in life—emotion, experience, and memory alike.
The closing contrast between “Guanyin on the distant mountain” and “poppies in the poppy fields” raises reflections on spirituality versus materiality, escape versus reality, forming a profound emotional meditation. Conclusion Five. How do the sections continue within each part? How are transitions and coherence achieved? The function of dividing paragraphs in a poetic text is to give the author’s line of thought sequence, hierarchy, and order, and to present each stage, shift, or pause in the thinking process. This allows readers to follow the author’s thinking step by step, reading the text in order and understanding it completely, while also having moments of “pause” during reading in which to reflect, analyze, and savor the meaning. The continuity (connection) between sections includes the following types: parallel, causal, contrastive, turning, and subversive. The following examples of poems illustrate each type. (1) Parallel type Each section of a poetic text forms a complete unit in narration and lyric expression. When separated, each can function as a short poem; when combined, they share formal commonalities. In “new metrical verse” (“Chance”) and “ballad-style poetry” (“Four Rhymes of Homesickness”), this parallel structure is quite common. “Chance” / Xu Zhimo You and I meet on the dark sea at night, You have your direction, I have mine; You remember it or not, It is better if you forget The brilliance exchanged in that moment of intersection! “Four Rhymes of Homesickness” / Yu Guangzhong Give me a ladle of Yangtze River water, ah Yangtze River water, that wine-like Yangtze River water Give me a piece of begonia red, ah begonia red, that blood-like begonia red Give me a piece of snowflake white, ah snowflake white, that letter-like snowflake white Give me a sprig of wintersweet fragrance, ah wintersweet fragrance, that mother-like wintersweet fragrance (2) Causal type Each section of the poetic text uses causal relations as the narrative axis, linking causes and effects in sequence, forming a “chain” structure: A → B → C → D. If the ending echoes the beginning, a circular structure is formed. “The Sky of Escape” / Shang Qin (3) Contrastive type In the sequential relationship between sections, the later and earlier sections appear as opposites, forming contrast in situation or value orientation. “Question and Answer” / Xiang Yang In the deep mountain of midsummer, a shower (4) Turning type In the sequential structure of a poem, a turning point appears that changes the expected narrative direction or emotion, producing another ending or emotional outcome. “Beauty Poster” / Chen Qufei Coconut groves in shade, tropical coastal scenery Becoming a human standee A few days later, the girl appears She gives me that photo and agrees I pick up the poster and hang it at the shopfront In the second section, “While she gazes at the sea in a daze / I pick up a sausage fork / and poke her soft buttock / unexpectedly she quickly deflates / becomes thin, lying flat into a poster,” a break in the plot appears, creating an unexpected turning point and an unforeseen outcome. (5) Subversive type In the sequential relation of sections, not only does a turn occur, but the turn also negates or overturns the themes, facts, or emotions of the previous section, resulting in an ending completely opposite to what was expected. “Error” / Zheng Chouyu At the end of the poem, the author gives an unexpected answer: “I am not the returning traveler, but a passerby,” overturning the previous narrative and explicitly stating that the speaker is not the awaited lover. The one waiting in the stone-paved town mistakenly believes the hoofbeats belong to the expected returning lover. Six. How does a poem conclude? How is a beginning–ending correspondence formed? How is implied meaning and associative space created? The concluding forms of poetic texts can roughly be divided into three types: conclusive ending, beginning–ending correspondence, and lingering (suspenseful) ending. Each has distinct characteristics. (1) Conclusive ending A conclusive poetic ending refers to the poet giving a clear emotional or thematic conclusion at the end of the work, forming a complete conceptual closure. This type of ending has several core features:
In conclusive endings, poets often use concrete details, spatial sensations, or character actions to express emotion, elevating them into reflections on life, emotion, or existence. Such endings leave no suspense and give readers a sense of complete closure. Poem example and analysis “Lover” / Zheng Chouyu So I go, always wearing a blue robe The poem uses the “lover in the stone city” as its narrative thread, beginning from everyday details—stone city, golden chrysanthemums, tall window—to construct a scene of solitude and delicacy. The ending—“So I go, always wearing a blue robe / I want her to feel it is a season, or the arrival of migratory birds / For I am not the kind of person who returns home often”—provides a clear thematic conclusion: the poet’s attitude toward love, life choices, and emotional distance. Analysis:
The conclusive ending is not merely structural closure in modern poetry, but also a sublimation of emotion and imagery. Through concrete detail, symbolic objects, and human actions, it integrates scattered fragments into a complete emotional structure, allowing readers to feel clarity of idea and depth of emotion at the end of reading. This type of ending is suitable for emotionally intense and thematically clear poems, allowing imagery and emotion to fully develop and respond, presenting the artistic unity and aesthetic force of modern poetry. Five. How do sections continue from one another? How do they transition and correspond? The function of dividing paragraphs in a poetic text is to allow the writer’s train of thought to have sequence, layers, and structure, to express each process, shift, or pause within the movement of thinking. This makes it easier for readers to follow the author’s thought section by section, reading in order and understanding the content as a whole, and at the same time, during reading, to have moments of “pause,” thereby engaging in reflection, consideration, and lingering aftertaste. The continuity (connection) between sections takes several forms: parallel structure, causal structure, contrastive structure, transitional structure, and subversive structure. These are illustrated with poetic examples as follows. (1) Parallel structure Each section of the poetic text, in narration and lyric expression, forms a complete unit on its own; when separated it becomes a short poem, and when combined it shares certain formal commonalities. In “new metrical poetry” (〈偶然〉) and “ballad style” (〈鄉愁四韻〉), this parallel form is quite common. 〈Chance〉 / Hsu Chih-mo I am a cloud in the sky, You and I meet upon the sea of night, You have your direction, and I have mine; You may remember it, Or better still forget it The radiance exchanged at this crossing moment! 〈Four Rhymes of Nostalgia〉 / Yu Guangzhong Give me a ladle of Yangtze River water ah Yangtze River water, that wine-like Yangtze River water Give me a piece of begonia red ah begonia red, that blood-like begonia red Give me a snowflake white ah snowflake white, that letter-like snowflake white Give me a sprig of wintersweet fragrance ah wintersweet fragrance, that mother-like wintersweet fragrance (2) Causal structure Each section of the poetic text uses causal relations as the narrative axis, with causes and effects connected sequentially, forming a “chain-like” structure: A→B→C→D. If the ending again echoes the beginning, it forms a circular or ring-like structure. 〈Sky of Escape〉 / Shang Qin The face of the dead is a swamp unseen by anyone (3) Contrastive structure In the continuity of sections in a poem, the later section may stand in opposition to the former, creating contrast in situation or value judgment. 〈Question and Answer〉 / Xiang Yang In the midsummer of the deep mountains, a cloud In the deep mountains of midsummer, a rain (4) Transitional structure In poetic continuity between sections, a turning point appears, altering the expected narrative direction or emotion, producing another outcome or another emotional turn. 〈Beauty Poster〉 / Chen Chü-fei The background is a white beach Palm trees cast shade, a tropical coastal atmosphere becoming a human standee A few days later, the girl appears She gives me that photograph and agrees I pick up the poster and hang it at the shop entrance In the second section, “while she stares blankly at the sea / I pick up a sausage fork / poke her soft buttocks / unexpectedly she quickly deflates / becomes thin, flattening into a poster,” there is a narrative rupture, producing an unexpected turn and thus an unforeseen ending. (5) Subversive structure In the continuity of sections in a poem, not only does a turn occur, but this turn also negates or overturns the issues, facts, or emotions of the preceding section, resulting in an ending completely opposite to what was originally expected. 〈Mistake〉 / Zheng Chou-yu At the end of this poem, the author gives an unexpected answer: “I am not the one returning home, I am a passer-by,” overturning the preceding narrative, directly stating that the speaker is not the awaited lover in the stone-paved city, and that the sound of hooves was mistakenly believed to be the arrival of the expected person. Six. How to conclude? How to create circular correspondence between beginning and end? How to create implied meaning and leave imaginative space? The concluding forms of modern poetry can roughly be divided into three types: conclusive endings, beginning–end correspondence endings, and lingering (suspenseful) endings, each with its own characteristics. (1) Conclusive ending A conclusive poetic ending refers to when the poet provides a clear emotional or thematic conclusion at the end of the work, forming a complete closure of meaning. This type of ending has several core features:
In conclusive endings, poets often use concrete life details, spatial imagery, or character actions to convey emotion, and then elevate them into reflection on life, emotion, or existence. This type of ending leaves no ambiguity, giving readers a sense of “complete closure.” Poem example and analysis: 〈Mistress〉 / Zheng Chou-yu In a small stone city lives my mistress So I go, always wearing a blue shirt The poem uses the “stone city mistress” as its narrative thread, starting from everyday details—stone city, golden chrysanthemums, tall window—to construct a scene of solitude and subtle emotion. The ending clearly states the poet’s attitude toward love and life: he is not someone who returns home often, and his presence is like seasonal change or migratory birds. Analysis:
A conclusive ending is not merely structural closure, but also an elevation of emotion and imagery. Through concrete detail, symbolic objects, and human action, scattered fragments are integrated into a unified emotional structure, allowing readers to feel clarity and depth at the end. This type of ending is suitable for emotionally intense and thematically clear poems, enabling a complete development and resolution of imagery and emotion, producing aesthetic unity. (2) Beginning–end correspondence ending A beginning–end correspondence ending in modern poetry usually echoes the imagery or language of the opening, forming a sense of circularity and completeness. This structure allows readers to look back to the beginning at the end, strengthening unity of poetic meaning, and through repetition and recurrence of imagery, forms a mirrored correspondence of semantics and emotion, deepening the theme. In such usage, poets often employ the following strategies:
Poem example and analysis: 〈You Are Mine, a Half Poem〉 / Chen Chü-fei You are mine / a half poem / half loving with heart You are mine, a half poem Not allowing others to change a single word Tear open the seal of your life The poem uses “you are mine, a half poem” as both opening and structural core, forming a beginning–end correspondence. The opening states possession and emotional attachment to the “half poem,” while the ending extends this into detailed emotional depiction, completing emotional closure. Analysis:
The power of beginning–end correspondence lies not in repetition itself, but in generating new emotional layers and symbolic meaning through resonance: the beginning is a seed, the ending a blooming flower. (3) Linger (suspense) ending A lingering ending is characterized by not saying everything, or deliberately leaving a gap or suspense at the end, leaving imagination and reflection space for readers. This aligns with modern poetic aesthetics: openness, extension of imagery, emotional resonance. It does not rush closure or force conclusion, but allows readers to complete meaning themselves. Through layering of imagery, rhythm, and tone, this ending achieves:
Poem example and analysis: 〈Finally〉 / Xue Li The owner of poetry who raises a group of poems says finally, letting go of shame The poem depicts disappearance and release: out-of-print collections, silent birds, hidden sheep, forming loss and relief. The ending “you pass through between rain threads” creates openness and suspension. Analysis:
〈Snow of the Distant Mountain〉 / Xia Muxue In dreams, we meet again The sky does not turn The earth does not rotate Only the sunset shatters falling onto my shoulder cold, as cold as the snow of distant mountains I thought I had matured many times hibernation, thick enough to bury your name wrong, dreams are clearer than waking you are still there within the rings of a dead tree one circle, one circle on the outline of distant mountains quietly spreading The poem depicts dreamlike reunion and frozen time. The ending “quietly spreading” does not resolve the relationship or fate, leaving infinite imagination. Analysis:
In practice, poets often layer rhythm and imagery so that the ending becomes both precise and restrained. The success of a lingering ending depends on rhythm control, imagery selection, emotional arrangement, and balance between openness and thematic echo. It extends momentary feeling into lasting emotional echo, giving modern poetry philosophical depth. Third section: common structural problems in modern poetry In poetic texts, readers often encounter structural issues such as unclear meaning or grammatical incoherence. Based on experience in writing and critique, several common problems are summarized:
Wang Guowei once said in “Remarks on Ci Poetry in the Human World”: “Tang and Five Dynasties ci had lines but no whole structure; Southern Song ci masters had structure but no lines…” Here, “structure” refers to completeness of meaning and organization, while “lines” refers to striking individual sentences. Many beginners produce isolated images or lines without organizing them into a coherent whole, resulting in fragmented meaning and lack of unity. Such works may contain beautiful lines but fail as integrated poems. To avoid this, it is suggested to first construct a simple narrative and then arrange imagery according to narrative progression, allowing poetry to carry story-like structure.
This occurs due to misuse of vocabulary and lack of control over syntax and imagery selection, leading to semantic confusion or unclear meaning. Another cause is uncontrolled free association without structural organization, resulting in disconnected fragments that fail to form coherent semantic chains.
Often caused by incomplete development or impatience in structuring. Writers may begin with strong imagery but fail to sustain it. Solution: revise later, or strengthen reading of classical works and rhetorical theory.
Unexpected, unmotivated shifts break reader comprehension. Even without strong narrative, causal continuity helps maintain readability.
Poetry should not be mere collage. It should use imagery to tell a story and express emotion. Writers should filter and organize imagery rather than randomly assembling fragments. Poetry must not rely on plagiarism or forced stitching of others’ lines. True creation requires gradual accumulation and personal development. |
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