Two Gargantuans

Question

Two gargantuans pummeled each other and the thunder rolled.

Each blow echoed until the rafters glowed

Each landed hammering fists, shattering fists, until a crow crowed.

Stars fell and fizzled away their glow.

Foe hit foe hit foe hit foe.

Then the forests were mowed and the action slowed.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

Rather a lame finish. I expected a lesson to be learned, but you just got caught up in a simplistic rhyme scheme:

echoed
glowed
crowed
mowed
slowed
flowed
snowed
hoed
lowed
rowed
sowed
stowed
towed

These do not make a poem. I very much like the glowing rafters, though.

Radrook · Answer

Here is an explanation:

It's metaphorical and employs fairly simple metaphorical symbols.

The two gargantuans represent two powerful nations like China and USA which make other countries look like midgets.

The pummeling = a war.

The thunder represents the power of the blows which are nuclear.

The echoing of the blows means that their effects are long lasting to our planet.

The stars are sometimes used to represent the powers of heaven.
Here they are used to indicate that heaven does not approve of this conflict.

The crows or evil forces do approve. This is indicated by their crowing.

The glowing of the rafters is a hint of the incendiary effects of this conflict.

Starglow or light, represents heavenly wisdom..
Example: He finally saw the light.
When light fizzles darkness of ignorance predominates which contributes to engaging in such a war.

The stars fall because in general mankind has chosen to be atheistic and heaven no longer holds the high position it once did. This falling from prestige makes war of this kind more likely. They fall even further during such a war due to desperation of people who might lose faith due to suffering.

"Foe hits foe hits foe" indicates that once two gargantuans engage, the conflict spreads rapidly. Europe becomes involved as well as the soviet Union etcetera

The forest represents nature and how it is victimized by this fighting of a nuclear war.
The war slows when forests are mowed. = Nature devastated by the nuclear holocaust.

The action slows because of the effects of such a nuclear exchange causes the nations to become unable to continue the destruction at the same furious pace at which they began.

Once forests are mowed all is lost.

BTW

I did not used the following examples:

snowed
hoed
lowed
rowed
sowed
stowed
towed

So perhaps you were reading some other poem.

The repetition of the "ow" sound was chosen because of its lamentation and sound of a mournful wind connotations.

Mister Micawber · Answer

No, I was reading your poem. Poems should not need explanations. I liked it better before I knew what you were trying to say.

Radrook · Answer

Mister MicawberNo, I was reading your poem. Poems should not need explanations. I liked it better before I knew what you were trying to say.

Each reader brings his knowledge of literature to the reading experience.
Very often a poem is not at fault for reader confusion based reader inability to make at least minimal sense of the poem's symbolism.

Gaining a basic understanding of symbolism as used in Western Literature would greatly enhance your enjoyment of this type of poetry. Otherwise you will be continue to be forced to tag such type of poetry as senseless.

Two Gargantuans

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