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:

• Main line: serves as the axis of the poem, carrying the core narrative or event development of the entire poem, usually a coherent trajectory of time or events.
• Sub-line: provides emotional supplementation, psychological reflection, or philosophical commentary to the main line, giving the narrative greater depth and layering.

From the perspective of rhetorical aesthetics, this structural method has the following features:

1. Multi-layered plot structure: the sub-line may consist of psychological description, emotional flow, social observation, or philosophical reflection, corresponding with the main line and increasing narrative tension.
2. Emotional resonance: the lyrical or reflective content of the sub-line allows readers to perceive psychological fluctuations and emotional depth beyond the event progression.
3. Intertextual imagery: scenes or objects in the main narrative are reappearing or transformed in the sub-line, forming symbolic or metaphorical meanings.
4. Rhythm and tension: the main line drives the rhythm of events, while the sub-line uses pauses, repetition, or commentary to regulate emotional tension, allowing fluctuations between narrative and emotion.

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
the kiss of a pregnant wife, last year
we were poor, borrowing lodging in many friends’ homes
but one must still have a nest
in next spring, after the snow melts, the young toon shoots
will be briefly loved

And this year we walk along the railway
resting against many telegraph poles
(like carrying baggage tags)
crowding around flagpoles to pass the night
(so wanting to eat those compound leaves)
and first, we, already afflicted by pests and disease
between two cities
the sunset shines again, but wife, wife
was crushed by the evening train… sigh.

Let that infant, like a meteor
be stillborn; do not care about surname or lineage
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

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

• The main line depicts war, famine, and escape: the protagonist and his pregnant wife travel from place to place seeking shelter while fleeing disaster.
• Core event: the pregnant wife’s death, which becomes the emotional climax of the main narrative.
• The main line progresses through time and space: from friends’ homes → railway → wilderness, forming a clear narrative trajectory.

Sub-line: psychological narration

• The sub-line presents the protagonist’s inner reflection and emotional conflict:
  “Anyway, after the famine years there will still be war / I might as well remain a mercenary.”
• Here, the sub-line elevates personal tragedy into reflection on society and history, forming a dual thread of psychology and philosophy.
• The reflection reveals the “orphan archetype,” expressing a psychological collapse and self-exile born from trauma.

Rhetorical and artistic highlights

• Metaphor and symbolism: “sunset as the kiss of a pregnant wife,” “toon shoots briefly loved,” transforming everyday imagery into emotional symbols.
• Interweaving of external and internal scenes: the escape narrative and inner lament reflect each other, resonating between main and sub-lines.
• Rhythmic control: long lines describe escape; short lines express reflection, creating a fluctuating emotional rhythm.

Overall effect

• Through the interweaving of main and sub-lines, the poem presents a human tragedy and psychological response in wartime, combining realism and lyricism.
• It not only narrates individual suffering but also reflects the devastation and cruelty of history and society, embodying anti-war sentiment and humanitarian spirit.
• This dual-structure design gives the poem both narrative depth and emotional intensity, making it a rare example of integrated narrative and lyric poetry.

Summary:
Zheng Chouyu’s “Journey” is a typical example of interwoven main line and sub-line structure:

• Main line: event progression → war escape and wife’s death
• Sub-line: psychological and philosophical reflection → lament, orphan archetype, self-exile
• The interaction between the two lines creates unified narrative tension, emotional depth, and conceptual complexity.

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:

• Explicit line: the visible narrative or imagery, including events, actions, or scenery directly perceived by the reader.
• Implicit line: the underlying emotional, philosophical, symbolic, or metaphorical dimension hidden beneath the explicit narrative, giving the poem multiplicity of meaning and interpretive depth.

From the perspective of rhetorical aesthetics, this structure has the following features:

1. Dual-layer meaning: the explicit line provides a readable story or scene, while the implicit line provides emotional, intellectual, or moral significance, creating textual tension and depth.
2. Metaphorical expression: objects or events in the explicit line are often endowed with symbolic meaning from the implicit line, expanding interpretive possibilities.
3. Complementarity of emotion and imagery: the implicit line is often expressed through transformation or symbolic extension of explicit imagery, enhancing emotional impact.
4. Rhythm and tension: the narrative rhythm of the explicit line contrasts with the latent emotional pressure of the implicit line, gradually revealing deeper meaning during reading.

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
We must hide
within water, gazing at each other, entangling
for the span of a cup of tea
we finally decide to become a single color

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

• The surface imagery consists of tea leaves and a teapot interacting:
  “We must hide / within water, gazing at each other, entangling”
  “for the span of a cup of tea / we finally decide to become a single color”
• It depicts the process of tea leaves releasing color in water and the teapot containing them.
• The explicit narrative is simple, following a sequence of immersion → interaction → color fusion.

Implicit line analysis

• The implicit layer represents emotional interaction between man and woman: tea leaves symbolize the woman, teapot symbolizes the man; after a period of interaction and emotional blending (“a cup of tea’s time”), love and mutual understanding emerge (“becoming a single color”).
• This symbolism elevates the poem beyond literal description, turning tea into a metaphor for love, gentle and permeating like water.

Rhetorical highlights

• Personification: tea leaves and teapot are given human emotion and consciousness.
• Symbolic metaphor: explicit actions correspond to emotional transformation.
• Temporal rhythm: the phrase “a cup of tea’s time” suggests slow emotional formation.
• Minimal language, layered meaning: few lines contain both surface narrative and deep emotion.

Overall effect

• The explicit–implicit structure achieves both readability and interpretive depth.
• Readers first perceive tea imagery, then gradually uncover emotional meaning.
• The poem becomes rich, suggestive, and open to interpretation.

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
Black night gave me black eyes
but I use them to search for light

“Stream” by Chen Chufei
A chance encounter with chaotic stones
and it becomes even more talkative

(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
…(poem content follows)…

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
once could buy
a smile

A handful of banknotes
now can buy
more than
a smile

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
…(poem content)…

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
…(poem content)…

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
…(poem content)…

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:
The poem unfolds step by step through imagery progression, forming a deeply emotional tragic love story structured through:
prologue → development → turn → conflict → climax → ending

IV. What Kind of Organizational Structure Is Adopted?

I. Definition of Literary Structure
In literary texts, structure refers to an organized, ordered, and interrelated manner among systems or elements. From a basic conceptual standpoint, structure can be understood as the arrangement and relationships among parts within a system, and it usually expresses how a whole constructs 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. 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
Modern poetry, according to the internal relational connections among its textual components, 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, readers and creators of modern poetry can gain a preliminary understanding of the internal structure of modern poetry.

(I) Vertical Structure
This structural type develops along a vertical axis of emotion or time (linear time axis), with strong logical continuity, gradually leading toward a climax. For example, Yu Guangzhong’s “Nostalgia” and Yang Ze’s “Smoke” express emotional attachment to homeland through temporal sense and narrative progression.

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).”

1. “Nostalgia” / Yu Guangzhong
   When I was young
   Nostalgia was a small stamp
   I was here
   My mother was there

When I grew up
Nostalgia was a narrow ticket
I was here
My bride was there

Later on
Nostalgia was a small tomb
I was outside
My mother was inside

And now
Nostalgia is a shallow strait
I am here
The mainland is there

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.”

1. “Smoke” / Yang Ze
   Please read me — please read me carefully
   I am a palm without fingerprints
   I am a face without features
   I am a clock without scales or hands
   Please read me — please read me carefully and earnestly
   I am a place without inscriptions or dates
   A fallen stele

Please read me — please read me carefully
Not palm, not face, not clock, not stele
I am a tiny lowercase “i”
shrunk eight hundred billion times
Please read me — please read me carefully
I am life, I am love, I am the immortal
soul, a strand of smoke rising fiercely from the crematorium
a strand of solitary monologue smoke

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:

1. Construction of parallel imagery:
   The poem begins with the parallel structure “Please read me — please read me carefully,” like a voice longing to be understood. However, the following lines layer negative imagery: “a palm without fingerprints,” “a face without features,” “a clock without scales or hands,” and “a stele without inscriptions or dates.” These negations construct imagery that implies a rejection of human features and concrete form, as if an attempt to detach from worldly identifiers.

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.

1. Layered deepening of structure:
   First is the arrangement of four images—palm, face, clock, stele—each symbolizing identity markers in everyday life, forming a deep imagery progression from “body → time → history.” The negation of these images implies an invisible existence—a soul stripped of all recognizable worldly labels.

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.

1. Internal structure and thematic expression:
   The internal structure of the poem is a gradual revelation of self-existence, ultimately presenting an ungraspable sense of being. This deepening process constitutes the poem’s central theme: an inquiry into soul and existence.

“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
This is a structural method that cuts things horizontally, presenting different cross-sections. Through this arrangement, the poet sequentially presents different aspects, revealing the diversity and deeper structure of an object through parallel placement, allowing readers—without obvious temporal or logical connections—to freely combine and imagine these cross-sections, thereby more systematically presenting the essence of things.

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.

1. “Station Message” / Chen Kehua
   Ami A-cao
   I am taking the 11:37 southbound train first. I do not hate you
   If the typhoon arrives tomorrow
   Call: (00)7127Z998
   Father leaves. Child, remember me
   Sir, we’ll talk later
   Money, don’t wait for me
   My home is not in Taipei Echo: ECHO
   What I owe you
   I have found work
   Very, very long later, essence
   and phenomenon conflict severely
   Wish you return home quickly
   Three hens and cabbage
   are all well
   Your most sincere love ends here
   and returns to you.

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
The horizontal structure treats each short line as a cross-section; these sections are independent yet invisibly connected. For example:
“I am taking the 11:37 southbound train first. I do not hate you” — expresses a decisive departure while also containing a calm farewell without resentment.
“If the typhoon arrives tomorrow” — adds uncertainty and impending change, complicating emotions.
“Father leaves. Child, remember me” and “Money, don’t wait for me” — present different voices, a father’s instruction and the abandonment of debt, implying attachment and separation among people.

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
The imagery collage in the poem assembles fragments of daily life and interpersonal relationships. Readers can sense suspense, separation, contradiction, and helplessness in life through these images. The poem consciously selects symbolic and polysemous images, such as:
“11:37 southbound train” — not a literal departure time, but an implied moment of separation, carrying a sense of uncertain future.
“Typhoon” — suggests storms and change, indicating the impermanence of life and external transformation.
“Three hens and cabbage” — an image of domestic calm, yet implying loneliness or nostalgia for ordinary life.

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).”

1. “Homesickness” / Yu Guangzhong

When I was small
homesickness was a tiny postage stamp
I was on this side
mother was on that side

When I grew up
homesickness was a narrow ship ticket
I was on this side
bride was on that side

Later on
homesickness was a small grave
I was outside
mother was inside

And now
homesickness is a shallow strait
I am on this side
the mainland is on that side

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.”

1. “Smoke” / Yang Ze

Read me—read me carefully
I am a palm without palm lines
I am a face without features
I am a clock without markings and without hands

Read me—read me carefully, carefully
I am a monument without inscription and without date
a fallen stele

Read me—read me carefully
Neither palm nor face nor clock nor stele
I am a scaled-down 800-billion-times version
a lowercase thin and slender “i”

Read me—read me carefully
I am life, I am love, I am the imperishable soul
a column of smoke rising fiercely from the crematorium
a strand of solitary monologue

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:

1. Construction of 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.

1. Layered structural progression:

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.

1. Internal structure and thematic expression:

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.

1. “Station Message” / Chen Kehua

Amei, A-Cao
I have taken the 11:37 southbound train—I do not hate you
If the typhoon arrives tomorrow
Call: (00)7127z998
Father leaves note. Child, remember me
Let’s talk later
Money, don’t wait for me
My home is not in Taipei Echo: ECHO
What I owe you
I have already found work
Long, long later, essence
and phenomenon conflict intensely
Wish you return home soon
Three hens and cabbage
are all fine
Your most sincere love ends here
and returns to you.

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.

1. “Please Give Me a Better Rival in Love” / Hsia Yu (Lee Kuei-ti)

This is not the first time I have heard her name
You are the wandering lover we both love
In fact I do not really care
sharing you with others
I do not really mind
your kisses
stamped with someone else’s mark

If this is an inescapable fate
then please give me a better rival in love
at least let me have the pleasure of competition
at least let me believe
that being abandoned
has a reason

This is not the first time I have heard her story
You are the theme we both love
In fact I am not really sad
sharing everything with others
I am not really afraid
your love
looking left and right, wavering

If this is an unavoidable ending
I only ask for a better rival in love
at least let me have perfect jealousy
at least let me feel
that there is another person
who can match my loneliness

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
Junior high three years, senior high three years, university four years, master two years, doctorate two years
Fortunately, I did not finish any of them

Five romances, two lovers, one wife, three children
Several enemies, a few confidants, several relatives

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
One long robe, several suits, a few pairs of jeans
One pot of smoke, two cups of tea, three bowls of rice, one wooden bed, naturally vegetarian
No gambling, no chess; a few broken books by the pillow pretending confusion
Several shocks, several changes, several minor illnesses endured

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.

1. Parallel sentence structure:

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.

1. Multiple life dimensions:

Further lists include enemies, friends, relatives, clothing, food, habits—all presented in parallel, revealing a fragmented but complete life portrait.

1. Reflection and loneliness:

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”
“You mean fields upon fields of lotus flowers”
“Now it has become marshes upon marshes”
“You mean ponds upon ponds of buildings”
“Are they really ponds upon ponds of buildings?”
“No, rather buildings upon buildings of lotus flowers”

This poem uses progressive structure to deepen meaning step by step.

1. From concrete to abstract progression:

It begins with soil as origin, then shifts to lotus flowers as life, then to marshes and buildings, indicating environmental transformation.

1. Layered scene transformation:

Nature becomes urban space, reflecting human impact.

1. Emotional deepening:

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
you tell me to return to a
baroque understanding of entanglement
Cat problem
is my forgetting
like a ghost my
guilt like opera my
insomnia wandering
wilderness problem is
cat my rotation
if it is meaningless
my softness is
that regret my
warmth is this
drifting cat
my flicker my impact
is what it
loves most: fish

This poem uses a combined parallel-progressive structure.

1. Parallel expression:

Repeated parallel phrases such as “cat,” “my forgetting,” “my guilt” create multiple simultaneous planes of meaning.

1. Progressive deepening:

Imagery moves inward from external interaction to internal emotional states such as insomnia, wilderness, and fragmentation.

1. Integrated structure:

The ending unifies all fragments into a coherent emotional closure, revealing dependency and relational dynamics.

Thus the poem forms a layered, dynamic emotional system.

(VII) Contrast structure

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
we will surely all have grown old, like fallen leaves
scattered everywhere. At this moment, the garden path is dark and secluded
let us join hands
and take a night stroll, lighting lanterns

Casual. Twenty years ago
we were still very young, like blossoms
on luxuriant branches. Under the tree, tomorrow morning’s fallen petals trace the rain
please listen to us by the west window
chanting, slowly singing autumn colors

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.

1. Temporal contrast:
   The phrases “twenty years later” and “twenty years ago” clearly divide time into two stages, forming the basic structure of the poem and allowing readers to directly perceive the contrast between past and future.

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.

1. Emotional contrast:
   The emotions in these two time periods also form a strong opposition. In the “twenty years later” scene, there is a sense of helplessness and faint sadness; “fallen leaves scattered everywhere” implies loss and memory. The tone of “casual” also suggests acceptance of life’s impermanence.

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.

1. Imagery contrast:
   The imagery further strengthens this contrast. In the future section, fallen leaves and dark, secluded paths create a quiet and desolate atmosphere. In the past section, images such as blossoms and luxuriant branches express youthful energy and flourishing life.

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
the blood of joy and the blood of self-torment are equally sincere
scar marks and kiss marks are the same
whether sorrow or happiness
whether tolerance or hatred
because in love, you must forgive

and I have already bowed my head
fate, with cold and stubborn bricks
encloses a dry well, imprisoning me
and forcing me to cry out a vein of clear spring
and never releasing me

even if my tears, because I miss you
surge into a river
because it is inevitable
because fate is absolutely tyrannical
because in love
scar marks and kiss marks are the same
you must forgive

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.

1. Development of causal relations:
   The poem begins with “Love is a blood-written poem,” which functions both as a definition of love and as a foundation for subsequent emotional fluctuations, implying deep emotional investment that borders on life and death.

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.

1. Emotional contradiction and interaction:
   “Scar marks and kiss marks are the same” presents a contrast that embodies both pain and sweetness in love. This contradiction reveals that in love, pain (scar marks) and happiness (kiss marks) often coexist. This establishes a causal relationship: the complexity of love leads to dual experiences.

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.

1. Fate’s cruelty and emotional intertwining:
   “Fate, with cold and stubborn bricks, encloses a dry well, imprisoning me” emphasizes the constraints imposed by fate and implies helplessness in love. Here, the cause is the cruelty of fate, and the effect is sorrow and powerlessness.

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.

1. Accumulation of emotion and final outcome:
   The conclusion “even if my tears, because I miss you, surge into a river” highlights the emotional impact of longing. The river of tears suggests overwhelming emotion. The causal link is explicit: longing leads to tears that overflow like a river, intensifying love’s bitterness.

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
necessity of affirmation
necessity of a little wine and osmanthus flowers
necessity of properly watching a woman pass by
necessity of you not being Hemingway—this basic recognition
necessity of the war in Europe, rain, cannons, weather, and the Red Cross
necessity of walking
necessity of walking the dog
necessity of mint tea
necessity of rumors rising like grass from the stock exchange every evening at seven
necessity of revolving glass doors
necessity of penicillin
necessity of assassination
necessity of evening newspapers
necessity of wearing flannel trousers
necessity of lottery tickets
necessity of aunt inheriting an estate
necessity of balconies, seas, and smiles
necessity of laziness

and since one is regarded as a river, one must continue flowing
the world is always like this—always like this:

Guanyin is on the distant mountain
poppies are in the poppy fields

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.

1. Features of stream of consciousness:
   The entire poem centers on “necessity,” and the repeated phrase “necessity of…” turns each fragment into a piece of consciousness, linking various details of daily life and emotional states. This structure emphasizes the necessity within everyday existence while revealing profound philosophical reflection within the ordinary.
2. Temporal interweaving and leaps:
   Images such as “necessity of a little wine and osmanthus flowers” and “necessity of properly watching a woman pass by” present both memory and present perception, constantly shifting with the flow of thought. Time here is fluid and unfixable, drawing the reader into the poet’s mental current.

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.

1. Multiple imagery and association:
   Images such as “war in Europe, rain, cannons,” “rumors rising like grass,” and “revolving glass doors” form a vivid tapestry of life. These images are not isolated but interwoven within consciousness, presenting multiple layers of lived experience.

This jumpy imagery reflects inner struggle and search, as if exploring what is necessary in life—emotion, experience, and memory alike.

1. Emotional flow and contradiction:
   The final line, “since one is regarded as a river, one must continue flowing,” emphasizes life’s continuity, suggesting that within changing consciousness, both joy and sorrow are essential parts of existence. The image of flowing water contrasts with necessity, expressing both fragility and resilience of life.

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
In Like a Songful Andante, Ya Xian successfully uses a stream-of-consciousness structure to break temporal boundaries, presenting the complexity of life through flowing thought and imagery. The poem not only reveals the poet’s deep observation of life but also allows readers to experience emotional resonance through the movement of consciousness. Overall, this structure enhances aesthetic effect while deepening the exploration of life’s essence.

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
I am a cloud in the sky,
Occasionally casting a shadow in the ripple of your heart──
You need not be surprised,
Nor need you rejoice──
In an instant it disappears without trace.

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
That drunken taste is the taste of homesickness
Give me a ladle of Yangtze River water, ah Yangtze River water

Give me a piece of begonia red, ah begonia red, that blood-like begonia red
That burning pain of boiling water is the burning pain of homesickness
Give me a piece of begonia red, ah begonia red

Give me a piece of snowflake white, ah snowflake white, that letter-like snowflake white
That waiting for a family letter is the waiting of homesickness
Give me a piece of snowflake white, ah snowflake white

Give me a sprig of wintersweet fragrance, ah wintersweet fragrance, that mother-like wintersweet fragrance
That maternal fragrance is the fragrance of the homeland
Give me a sprig of wintersweet fragrance, ah 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
The face of the dead is a swamp unseen by anyone
The swamp in the wilderness is part of the sky’s escape
The fleeing sky is overflowing roses
The overflowing roses are snow that never lands
The unfallen snow is tears within the veins
The rising tears are strings of a plucked instrument
The plucked strings are a burning heart
The cremated heart is the wilderness of the swamp

(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 cloud
Quietly avoids the pursuit of the blazing sun
It hides in the orchid’s stamen on the high cliff
Question: pine seeds
When? Passing by

In the deep mountain of midsummer, a shower
Far away lifts the hem of the violent wind
Drifting into the path, on the veins of fallen leaves
Answer: hermit
Yesterday! already asleep

(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
Background is a white beach

Coconut groves in shade, tropical coastal scenery
Bikini girls and tropical fish swim into the window
Under a large sun umbrella, obese white men in floral shirts
Are greasy hot dogs stuffed with sausages
A young girl from the East
A camera on her chest says my appearance
Is very much like Popeye fifty years later
She secretly presses the shutter, and my soul
Together with my beer belly and waist is sucked into the lens

Becoming a human standee

A few days later, the girl appears

She gives me that photo and agrees
To send me a salon poster of herself another day
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

I pick up the poster and hang it at the shopfront
Salty sea wind blows through her hair
Her smile carries a cold, wild beauty
Like a stinging nettle, provoking
every jealous eye
I proudly sell rejuvenation soda
anti-wrinkle cream and facelift electric irons

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
I passed through Jiangnan
That face waiting in the season is like the opening and falling of a lotus flower
The east wind does not come, the willow catkins of March do not fly
Your heart is like a small lonely city
Like a stone street facing dusk
Footsteps do not sound, the spring curtain of March is not lifted
Your heart is a small window tightly closed
My hoofbeats are a beautiful mistake
I am not the returning traveler, but a passerby……

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:

1. Clear theme: The ending directly reveals the core idea or emotional stance, giving the reader a definite direction.
2. Structural completeness: From beginning to end, the poem presents a coherent causal or emotional development; the conclusion closes the structure and creates a sense of logical or emotional fulfillment.
3. Deepened imagery: The language of the ending often carries symbolism or metaphor, integrating and deepening the imagery of the whole poem, allowing readers to experience a deeper aesthetic effect.

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
In a small stone city, lives my lover
And I leave her nothing
Only a bed of golden chrysanthemums, and a tall window
Perhaps letting a trace of sky’s loneliness drift in
Perhaps… and the chrysanthemums are good at waiting
I think loneliness and waiting are good for women

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

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:

• Clear emotion: The ending directly states the poet’s actions and emotional stance, closing the narrative and emotional trajectory into a coherent whole, expressing a philosophy of love that is detached yet not cold.
• Imagery correspondence: Stone city, chrysanthemums, migratory birds, blue robe, etc., are echoed throughout; the ending concentrates these symbolic meanings, turning “loneliness,” “waiting,” and “departure” into poetic conclusion.
• Structural completeness: The poem unfolds through daily fragments and ends with a conclusion, forming a complete narrative and emotional closure, allowing readers to clearly perceive its thematic and aesthetic intention.

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,
Occasionally casting a shadow upon the ripple of your heart──
You need not be surprised,
Nor need you rejoice──
In an instant it vanishes without trace.

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
That drunken taste is the taste of homesickness
Give me a ladle of Yangtze River water ah Yangtze River water

Give me a piece of begonia red ah begonia red, that blood-like begonia red
That burning pain of boiling water is the burning pain of homesickness
Give me a piece of begonia red ah begonia red

Give me a snowflake white ah snowflake white, that letter-like snowflake white
That waiting for a family letter is the waiting of homesickness
Give me a snowflake white ah snowflake white

Give me a sprig of wintersweet fragrance ah wintersweet fragrance, that mother-like wintersweet fragrance
That mother’s fragrance is the fragrance of homeland
Give me a sprig of wintersweet fragrance ah 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
The swamp in the wilderness is the escape of a portion of the sky
The fleeing sky is a rose overflowing
The overflowing rose is snow that never lands
The snow that does not fall is tears within the veins
The rising tear is a plucked string
The plucked string is a burning heart
The burned heart is the wilderness of the swamp

(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
Quietly avoids the pursuit of the blazing sun
It enters the pistil of an orchid upon the high cliff
Asking: pine seed
When? did it pass

In the deep mountains of midsummer, a rain
From afar lifts the hem of the violent wind
It drifts into the path, upon the veins of fallen leaves
Answering: hermit
Yesterday! already asleep

(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
Bikini girls and tropical fish swim into the window
Under a large sun umbrella, fat white tourists in floral shirts
are like greasy hot dogs stuffed with sausages
A young girl from the East
a camera on her chest says my appearance
looks exactly like Popeye fifty years later
She secretly presses the shutter; my soul
and beer belly and waist are sucked into the lens

becoming a human standee

A few days later, the girl appears

She gives me that photograph and agrees
that another day she will give me her salon poster
While she stares blankly at the sea
I pick up a sausage fork
and poke her soft buttocks
Unexpectedly she quickly deflates
becomes thin, flattening into a poster

I pick up the poster and hang it at the shop entrance
The salty sea wind lifts her hair
In her smile there is a cold wildness
like a stinging plant, provoking
every jealous gaze
I proudly sell rejuvenation soda
anti-wrinkle cream and facelift electric irons

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
I passed through Jiangnan
That face waiting in the season, like the opening and falling of a lotus flower
The east wind does not come, the willow catkins of March do not fly
Your heart is like a small lonely city
like a stone street at dusk
No footsteps sound, the spring curtain of March is not lifted
Your heart is like a small window tightly shut
My horse’s hooves are a beautiful mistake
I am not the one returning home, I am a passer-by……

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:

1. Clear theme: the ending directly reveals the core idea or emotional stance of the poem, giving the reader a definite emotional direction after reading.
2. Structural completeness: the poem develops from beginning to end through causal or emotional progression, and the conclusion gathers the whole into a sense of logical or emotional completion.
3. Deepened imagery: the language at the end often carries symbolism or metaphor, integrating and deepening the imagery of the entire poem, allowing readers to experience a deeper aesthetic effect.

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
And I leave nothing for her
Only a plot of golden chrysanthemum, and a tall window
Perhaps letting a little loneliness of the vast sky enter
Perhaps…… and the chrysanthemum is good at waiting
I think loneliness and waiting are good for women

So I go, always wearing a blue shirt
I want her to feel it is a season, or
the arrival of migratory birds
Because I am not the kind of person who comes home often

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:

• Clear emotion: the ending directly states the poet’s behavior and emotional stance, completing the narrative and emotional arc, presenting a philosophy of love that is detached yet not cold.
• Imagery correspondence: stone city, chrysanthemums, migratory birds, blue shirt recur and unify the imagery, condensing meanings of solitude, waiting, and departure.
• Structural completeness: the poem expands from daily fragments and concludes with a clear ending, forming a complete emotional and narrative closure.

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:

1. Imagery correspondence: images, symbols, or objects appearing at the beginning reappear or are extended at the end, allowing emotion or philosophy to resonate.
2. Linguistic mirroring: the phrasing or tone at the end echoes the beginning, forming symmetry or repetition and enhancing rhythmic memorability.
3. Emotional closure: beginning–end correspondence is not only formal but also psychological and emotional closure, allowing readers to feel a complete flow of thought rather than abrupt termination.

Poem example and analysis:

〈You Are Mine, a Half Poem〉 / Chen Chü-fei

You are mine / a half poem / half loving with heart
Half burying with flesh / you are mine / a half poem
Not allowing others to change a single word
—— Hai Zi, “Half Poem”

You are mine, a half poem
The remaining half floats in my mind
Your imagery does not jump tone
Not ghostly fire, not flickering
Though often unreasonable, emotionally unstable
But irrationality needs no annotation
Emotion needs no forced translation

Not allowing others to change a single word
Not allowing you to be treated as punctuation
As something dispensable, arbitrarily moved
I understand your inner thoughts
Those stubborn sparks of will
lingering on the deadwood of my soul
Language murmurs and sings softly, flickering restless light
I do not allow you to change any punctuation
to be weakened into a faint metaphor

Tear open the seal of your life
I want you to step out of emotional trauma’s shadow
Embrace me, accept omnipresent sunlight
Follow the joyful birds between branches
and those notes that grow happily every day
to become the half poem
I most want to depend on in my later 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:

• Imagery integration: the “half poem” symbolizes both text and love, memory, and emotional fragments; repetition ensures continuity.
• Emotional layering: inner thoughts, sparks, and soul imagery deepen emotional structure.
• Aesthetic effect: repetition creates unity while allowing subtle variation, forming a complete emotional cycle.

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:

1. Emotional continuity: even after the poem ends, emotion continues to flow.
2. Imagery regeneration: gaps become spaces for new mental images.
3. Philosophical suspense: suggests unfinished emotion or narrative, prompting reflection on existence, time, love, or self.

Poem example and analysis:

〈Finally〉 / Xue Li

The owner of poetry who raises a group of poems says
your distant poetry collection is out of print
finally, birds no longer sing
sheep no longer hide

finally, letting go of shame
days become simple
those written traces no longer swirl
you pass through between rain threads

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:

• Imagery chain: birds, sheep, rain threads form rhythm and symbolism.
• Open ending: no psychological state is explicitly stated.
• Emotional resonance: simple imagery conveys philosophical reflection on letting go.

〈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:

• Synesthetic imagery: visual and tactile fusion.
• Symbolic imagery: snow, tree rings symbolize time and memory.
• Suspense: boundaries between dream and reality remain unresolved.

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:

1. Has lines but no whole work

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.

1. Words fail to express meaning / incoherence

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.

1. Strong start, weak finish

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.

1. Sudden jumps and disjunctions

Unexpected, unmotivated shifts break reader comprehension. Even without strong narrative, causal continuity helps maintain readability.

1. Random assembly and blurred focus

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.