The portrait
In the poem entitled "Both Portraits’’, the narrator talks about a man who looks at a square on the wall, the place were a portrait used to be. The portrait was that of his beloved and while it is not clearly stated, it is implied that the woman left the man. Thus, the portrait is used here as a symbol for the memory of the woman who left the man in the poem.
The feather
In the poem entitled "Inspiration’’, the poet talks about a feather he chases and tries to find in the wild. The feather is found in the middle of the wilderness, in a dangerous and not easy accessible place. The feather in this context, the feather is used as a symbol for literary inspiration and the fact that the feather is in inaccessible places suggests how a person needs to make sacrifices to find it.
The wind
Also in the poet "Inspiration’’, the narrator talks about a wind that came and took the feather from a great owl and carried it to faraway places. The wind is described as being ruthless and harsh, thus implying that the process through which the feather was taken from the owl was not a pleasant one. The wind in this context is used as a symbol to suggest the harsh events that may provoke literary inspiration and make a person write.
The coyotes
The beginning of the poem "Inspiration’’ talks about the coyotes that lead the poet to the place where he found the feather left behind by the great owl. The coyotes are animals that are more than often not presented in a positive light and are rather presented in a negative light. Because of this, the coyotes are used here as a symbol for the people who refused to believe in the poet and his capabilities but also for the people who pushed him become better at what he does.
The owl
Also in the poem "Inspiration," the poet mentions a great owl from which the feather broke off from. The owl is used in many places in literature as a symbol for knowledge and this is also the case in the poem. The reason why we can assume this is because the owl is presented as being the origin of wiseness and the origin of the author’s inspiration.
