Reading of Metaphor in Anne Finche's poem "On Myselfe"

The Poem:

ON MYSELF

Good Heaven, I thank thee, since it was designed
I should be framed, but of the weaker kind,
That yet, my soul is rescued from the love
Of all those trifles which their passions move.
Pleasures, and praise, and plenty have with me
But their just value. If allowed they be,
Freely and thankfully as much I taste
As will not reason or religion waste.
If they're denied, I on myself can live,
And slight those aids unequal chance does give.
When in the sun, my wings can be displayed,
And in retirement, I can bless the shade.

The Reading:

Anne Finch’s poem Of Myselfe praises and shows gratitude to a higher power for her values of

"pleasures, praises and company” with tones of excitement and peace.

Anne’s use of metaphor in the last two lines of her poem reiterates the feeling of gratefulness

and pride of her values, along with adding to the upbeat diction in her poem. Anne’s metaphor

states, “When in the Sun, my wings can be display'd/And in retirement I can have the shade,”

likening the sun to heaven, her wings to the values she has, (pleasures, praises and company),

retirement to her death and the shade to the glory of her values. By comparing her values to her

wings she evokes the feeling that her values are apart of her, just as wings would be to an angel,

along with a feeling of majesty and supremeness, making her values majestic and supreme to

herself. Anne also compares her retirement to her death. Retirement is usually associated with a

vacation or being a blissful and stress free end to something. By likening retirement to her death,

Anne adds to the feeling of peace and praise that this poem evokes. Anne ends the poem with a

comparison between shade and the glory of her values. Shade goes along with the soothing and

calm feelings we associate with retirement, adding to peace of the poem.