The Ballad of the Closed Shave

"The Closed Shave" by Charles Mungoshi is a vivid and evocative poem that uses various figures of speech to create a tense atmosphere and convey a sense of vulnerability. Here are some notable figures of speech and their interpretation: 1. Imagery: The poem utilizes strong imagery to paint a picture in the reader's mind. For example, "rattling the loose sheets of the roof" and "click-click of the barber's cold shears" create a vivid image and evoke the senses of sound and touch, respectively. 2. Simile: Mungoshi uses simile in the line "feathery, ever so lightly." This comparison to a feather enhances the gentle, delicate nature of the memory brushing the speaker's brow. 3. Personification: The poem personifies the plane when the speaker mentions it "roars" above, attributing a lion's roar to the plane's engine noise. 4. Hyperbole: The phrase "close to his jugular vein" can be considered a hyperbole, as it may exaggerate the proximity of the barber's shears to the speaker's vulnerable area to emphasize the feeling of danger and the thin line between a close shave and potential harm. 5. Alliteration: Mungoshi uses alliteration, the repetition of consonant sounds, in the line "softly - heavily falls." The 'f' and 's' sounds contribute to the gentle, almost soothing atmosphere created through this description. 6. Paradox: The line "softly – heavily falls in his lap" represents a paradox, as the words 'softly' and 'heavily' convey opposite meanings, but are used together to describe the fallen hair. This contrast can be seen as a metaphor for the mix of vulnerability and relief the speaker might feel after the haircut, as the potentially dangerous task is completed without harm. 7. Symbolism: The "big ball of new grey hair" could symbolize the passage of time and the speaker's aging. Grey hair is often associated with wisdom and life experiences, so the falling grey hair may also represent the simultaneous falling away of old memories, as indicated by the memory that brushes his brow during the poem. In conclusion, Charles Mungoshi's "The Closed Shave" employs various figures of speech to convey layers of meaning, tension, and vulnerability. The poem also serves as a commentary on the passage of time, the inevitability of aging, and the delicate balance between safety and danger inherent in everyday experiences.