Farm Implements and such...

Definition of Sestina

Sestina: One of the most difficult and complex of the various French lyrical forms. The sestina is a poem consisting of six six-line STANZAS and a three-line ENVOY. It makes no use of the REFRAIN. This form is usually unrimed, the effect of RIME being taken over by a fixed pattern of end-words which demands that these end-words in each STANZA be the same, though arranged in a different sequence each time. If we take 1-2-3-4-5-6 to represent the end-words of the first STANZA, then the first line of the second STANZA must end with 6 (the last end-word used in the preceding STANZA), and the second with 1, the third with 5, the fourth with 2, the fifth with 4, the sixth with 3 – and so to the next STANZA. The order of the first three STANZAS, for instance, would be 1-2-3-4-5-6; 6-1-5-2-4-3; 3-6-4-1-2-5. The conclusion, or ENVOY, of three lines must use as end-words 5-3-1, these being the final end-words in the same sequence, of the sixth STANZA. But the poet must exercise even greater ingenuity than all this since buried in each line of the ENVOY must appear the other three end-words, 2-4-6. Thus so highly artificial a pattern affords a form which, for most poets, can never prove anything more than a poetic exercise. Yet it has been practiced with success in English by Swinburne, Kipling, and Auden.

And now, the theme of home in this poem. Home represents safety and relaxation. The sea hag is relaxing on the couch and Whimpy opens can after can of spinach. Normally, because these are cartoon characters, we might expect to see a chase, making lots of noise and breaking lots of objects. But they are in a home, not their home; the setting is Popye's house.

Popye now has some sort of god-like power. He is there, but he really isn't there. He is an overseer. Also there is reference to him being able to wield thunder. Popye, as everyone knows, eats spinach and gains unbeatable strength. He wields green thunder.