DDCPoetry

Original poem reprinted online here: "How to Kill" by Keith Douglas Originally read: February 21, 2013 More information about the Poet: Keith Douglas The poem has a parabola rhyme scheme.  Past me drew a picture to demonstrate -- the rhyme scheme is (a-b-c-c-b-a).  Now, sonically, some of the rhymes don't fit; however, look at the words, most of the rhymes are sight rhyme or a play on the last letters of words ("long" "sang").  However, the rhyme scheme "drops" in the middle of stanza two ("ways" "his" [sonic assonance rhyme?]). In any case, the parabola rhyme scheme (as I drew in the picture as well) reinforces the idea of a grenade being thrown since the rhyme scheme creates a curve that goes back down on either the speaker or to another person. This idea is utilized in first stanza when referencing childhood (playing with a ball),  and then the following stanzas when the speaker throws the grenade. In the first stanza t...