The Adamant: Poems

The poem is describing how the truth will bear all pains and troubles and will never be broken or lost. In the first stanza, Roethke uses a figurative hammer, smashing down upon the metaphorical truth, he says "The great sledge drops in vain. Truth is never undone its shafts remain." He goes on to tell, in the second stanza of knitted gears, figuratively lies, man made facts to fit the machine of truth. He reiterates again, that truth bears strong and stands up against the fabricated lies and pressures. In the final stanza Theodore says that nothing can break a truth or story, truly stated and backed up, and no matter what comes to edit it, the truth will be the truth.
Theodore uses, symbols, such as a hammer and machines to symbolize ideas and actions. He uses a hammer to symbolize forcible change on the truth and the influence people choose to use in order to change the truth to their liking. Roethke also uses knitting to symbolize the fabrication of a lie in order to fit the truth machine.
I enjoy this poem, however in the real world i feel it is somewhat overshadowed. The truth in society today is not very popular, and is usually altered in order to please a certain race or group of people. Even though deep down the truth will always be the truth, society may change.