Write a paragraph on “ THE COLD WITHIN ”.
Answers
Through his poem, 'The Cold Within' James Patrick Kinney wants to highlight how the man gives in to discrimination and prejudices which govern all his thoughts and deeds. By the example of a group of six people sitting around a fire holding a stick each, Kinney allows the reader to know the psyche of each of them. How each of them is prejudiced and holds back his stick which is needed to let the fire go on. The white hates the black and the rich is contemptuous of the poor. Their hatred is stronger than the genuine need of the hour, i.e. to let the fire go on. Ultimately the fire dies and Kinney makes it clear that it was not due to the cold outside, but it was due to the cold within that refrained each of them to use his stick to keep the fire going. The message was so powerful, the poem took on a life of its own.
Hope it is helpful.
Answer:
The Cold Within" is a poem written in the 1960s by American poet James Patrick Kinney. It has appeared in countless church bulletins, web sites and teaching seminars, as well as magazines and newspapers, including Dear Abby’s column on 5 September 1999.[2] His other popular works are A Better world, A poem, A Glimpse of Pioneer ways and Gone Camping (Eulogy to Johny). According to the poet's widow, he submitted the poem first to the Saturday Evening Post, but it was rejected as it was "too controversial for the time". Kinney sent it later to Liguorian, a Catholic magazine, which was the first commercial publication to print it.[3]
According to Timothy Kinney, the poet's son ,the poem was originally read at an ecumenical council meeting, after which the ministers, priests and rabbis in attendance requested copies of it. They read the poem to their congregations and, before long, "The Cold Within" became well known throughout the United States after the council meeting of all religions.
