Commentary On ‘The Flower Fed Buffaloes’

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‘The Flower Fed Buffaloes’ is a 15 line poem written by Vachel Lindsay about the changes due to colonization in North America. It uses the central metaphor of ‘the Buffaloes’ to show the disappearance of some of the most proud Native American tribes. The writer uses imagery, diction and other poetic devices to portray this change. Lindsay begins the poem in a peaceful tone in the first line where we are introduced to the ‘Flower-Fed Buffaloes’. Lindsay uses this line to show the reader the harmonious give and take relationship between the buffaloes and nature as the buffaloes eat the flowers which are replaced by nature in the spring. Then in the second line a reminiscent tone is introduced and Lindsay makes it clear to the reader that all that has happened is ‘long ago’ and the buffaloes will never regain their former glory. This can also be seen in the third line in the word ‘ranged’ which is clearly in the past tense. The word ‘ranged’ also has connotations of the range of a bullet which was how the buffaloes were killed possibly to subtly introduce a harsh tone. Then Lindsay show the reader what has become of the place the buffaloes once ‘ranged’. Lindsay then sarcastically describes a place where the ‘locomotives sing’ to emphasize the harsh loud noises that were made by the trains as they go by the area. Then he tells the reader of how the ‘prairie flowers lie low’ to show their loss of liveliness and the nature around them continuing to use a subtle harsh tone. Lindsay in the fifth and sixth line shows us an example of the change that has occurred. Lindsay describes the grass to be ‘tossing’ and ‘blooming’ to show the Native American prosperous freedom. It is ‘perfumed’ to better involve all the readers’ senses to give the reader a better understanding of what is happening. In general the reader is given a positive image and tone with the many‘s’ and long

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