INES D.

TELAN- MA English I

“AIR CASTLE” BY JOHN F. SALAZAR:

An Analysis
This is a poem of hope and aspiration. Motivating one to be a pursuer of their dreams.
The title “Air Castle” symbolizes that dreams can be in the air so wide and limitless and a
castle because dreams are beautiful in a dreamer's heart.
 
My life’s tomorrow beckons me I do not care for fame, as he,
From distant mountains high and low; Enthroned was like unto a god:
My future seems a boundless sea, The depths he reached are dark to me.
Where moving passions come and go. But I will grope the ways he tried.
 
Deep in my heart ambition dwells; I wear achievement’s coronet.
He cheers me up the highland, For best are they who see things done!
And guide me through the hills and dells And all my cares I soon forget
Where I pass the busy day. When I have wrought my work alone.
   
I cannot write with Shakespeare’s pen, If I be met by adverse fate,
But I can love with Shakespeare’s heart; And all my dreams but in vain;
I love his skill his craft of men, Then, must I work the harder yet
His mastery of poet’s art. With high resolve to try again.

The poem begins with the pronoun “my’ which indicates that the speaker is the poet himself.
He begins it on how he personally perceives life and accepts his situation. In the first stanza, the
speaker is trying to picture his future by saying “seems a boundless see”. This poem is kind of a
Lyric Poem which expresses hope about his life’s journey. Hence the tone of the poem can
directly see that our life is full of possibilities.

Besides, the other characteristics like imagery, symbol, sound, and the stanzaic structure are
given a meaning to the poem. The using of imagery in this poem is more of abstract than
concrete. The imagery in the poem can be seen in the first stanza and the second stanza. The
evident is when the speaker writes “My future seems a boundless sea” in line 2 and “He cheers
me up the highland” in line 6. The poem is also ABAB pattern of rhyme scheme, in which
each stanza applies this format. For instance, in the first stanza, “me” rhymes with the word
“sea,” and “low” rhymes with the word “go.”
 The poem shows that ambitions have become the source of strength of the author as
describes in 2nd stanza. Moreover, ambition sometimes influenced by people we admire and
look up to. The author shows how he admired Shakespeare. Thus, the author aims to show how
Shakespeare influenced his works, feelings and his attitudes of his own craft or art. The way the
author expresses his admiration for Shakespeare is of high regard as mentioned “I cannot write
with Shakespeare’s pen, But I can love with Shakespeare’s heart” in the 3rd stanza of the
poem.

However, we all have unique journey. We can have the same dream or ambition but we can
never have the same experience or dwell into the same path as if it is scripted to reach the same
dream we have. Just like how the author’s admiration to Shakespeare’s works were just his
inspiration to strive hard in his own work. This explained the lines “I do not care for fame, as
he.” in line 13 and “The depths he reached are dark to me.” In line 15.

In the 5th stanza, the speaker takes honor and dignity with his own progress no matter how
small it can be in the eyes of others. It expresses in line 16: “I wear achievement’s coronet.” a
tone of pride to his achievements and shows value to his own works.

The words “And all my dreams but in vain” in line 20 and “Then, must I work the harder
yet” in line 21 want the reader to realize that ambition is not easy to achieve you can always
experience rejection; rejection is not always be the reason to quit it must be always the
inspiration to continue and trying again your ambition in life until you achieve it.

In conclusion, the poem gives a motivation to the readers to pursue their ambition without
hesitation and negative thoughts in mind that they can’t do it. Also, this enlightens everyone that
for someone to be really called successful, he/she should really love what he/she is doing
because loving what you are doing is one of the key to bridge the gap between ambition and
success.