DEAD STARS

(for Paz Marquez Benitez)

by H.O. Santos

If I still think of her today

Why didn't I tell her long ago?

I could have saved all wondering

For I'd have peace if I did know.

If I had learned of metaphors

Before I wondered 'bout the stars

Would I have written verses then

And worshipped Venus instead of Mars?

If I had found my tongue could rhyme

Would I have shown a face sans mask,

A heart unsure? But woe is me--

I'll never know, I didn't ask.

 I. Introduction

Poetry is one of the oldest form of literature primarily used as a natural medium

for communication. The artistry of this literature have developed over time, making it

versatile and even more creative. For many years poems have been composed by

various people to tell stories, send messages, express emotions and so much more. A

characteristic of poetry that separates it uniquely from other forms of literature is its

versification. Poems are made of verses and rhymes that fits perfectly together to form

an art that captures the heart of the audience impeccably and elicit from them emotional

responses.

Poems for me have always been a form of relief, it is something I compose not to

capture the audiences heart but to release mine. Strong emotions that are begging to

be released no matter what kinds it is draws me nearer to both paper and pen. By the

message engraved in this poetry, I have established that the author and I may have felt

the same way. The author himself must have felt like it has been too long and its

already high time he free himself of the heavy feeling. Although, personally speaking,

any literature that comes from the heart of the maker is what captures audiences

deeply. Not because it is written more beautifully but because it’s raw with human

emotions, something that human audiences can feel. What is of utmost important in

poetries is its capability to deliver stories and emotions, to make people feel.

II. Summary
 Dead Stars is a poem that conveys regret for lost love, not because it ended but

because it couldn’t begin. The poem is written last 2010 in lyric and idiom type poem

with three stanzas that have different rhyming schemes. The 1 st stanza follows an A-

B-C-D format, the 2nd have an E-F-G-F format, and the last stanza have H-I-H-I

format. The poem contains a message indirectly dedicated to a girl the author is in

love complete with symbolism and emotions.

III. Critical Evaluation

Dead Stars by H. O. Santos is a poem the exudes love and regret despite the

mystery behind his use of words. Even the title itself is very interesting and

mysterious one would not think it is a love letter. The content conveys a message of

a love unachieved because the author could not confess towards the lady he

dedicated this poem to. It speaks of the “what ifs” and “what could’ve” had the author

decided to confess.

The title “Dead Stars” in itself is symbolistic to lost hope. When a star is at its

peak it shines the brightest, but when it dies it loses all its glow. In connection to the

content, the title is pretty puzzling but intriguing at the same time. It fits perfectly to

the message conveyed behind the poem and I think the author is very smart to

associate his emotions to material things that people would appreciate.

As the poem was published last year 2010, it is very expected that its

construction isn’t like the traditional ones. The poem is written in lyric type and the

meter runs softly. Despite having different rhyming schemes for each stanza, the
meter runs softly and the end words for each lines consistently complement each

other.

The arrangement of his lines seem like a cliff hanger but also very satisfying

at the same time, because even though the author never mentioned that it was his

feelings to a woman that he is pertaining to in this line – “If I still think of her today,

why didn’t I tell her long ago?” – it still was very obvious. Throughout the whole

poem, the author never mentioned the involvement of his love towards the recipient

of the poem.

The use of metaphors is also observed and widely obvious in the poem –

from the title to its content. The poem itself makes one think of stars and the

universe with its title being Dead Stars and the mention of Venus and Mars. From

the line “And worshipped Venus instead of Mars”, the planets mentioned are

representation of both love and power. Venues represented love while Mars is

masculinity and power. Although these symbols have deep meaning and a big

contribution to the message conveyed in the poem, it is very uncommon that most

reader will not easily understand it. Nevertheless, the content and message is still

there, but the experience might be lacking if one cannot understand some words

completely. On the other hand, despite being somewhat new, difficult and old words

like sans and woe present on the final verse wouldn’t be easy to comprehend

especially for young readers, and that would ruin the authenticity of the experience

because then readers will have to search for the meaning of the words first.
IV. Conclusion

The poem Dead Stars is a catchy poem with an interesting title that introduces a

topic that is very relatable to everyone. The evaluation was made to conquer the

lapses encountered during my first read of it – mostly regarding the metaphors used.

Dead Stars successfully delivered its message with a smooth rhythm despite the

uneven meter. Specific clarifications regarding the used metaphors are a must for

those who will read the poem, but the emotion is still there.