The single-stanza poem “Before You Cut Loose” by Simon Armitage has a total of twenty-three lines and does not adhere to any specific structural format.
The use of enjambment in the poem ensures that rhyming does not disrupt the flow of sentences, preserving the sentence structure. Each line of the poem consists of ten syllables, with the primary stress falling on the fifth and tenth syllables. This repetitive stressing creates a tone that reflects the casualness, lack of responsibility, and callousness embraced by both the poem and modern society.
This can be demonstrated in the lines, “I heard a story of a dog that swam to the English coast from the Isle of Man”. This also indicates the extensive use of rhyme. Not all lines in the poem adhere to full rhyme scheme, and some lines feature half rhyme, like the words “life” and “night”. Additionally, the poem incorporates an ellipsis at the beginning, starting from halfway across the page with, “It seems that there are some words missing from the beginning of the poem that make it more intriguing and distinctive. The poem possesses a highly informal tone.
It is not addressed to any specific person and effectively uses ellipsis to maintain a consistent ten-syllable-per-line structure. The phrase “bacon eaten” in the poem appears to be abbreviated and could have been written as “the bacon was eaten.” The style of writing is very formal and typical of Simon Armitage. “Before You Cut Loose” explores various themes and topics.
In this poem, Armitage discusses the concept of loyalty and obedience displayed by dogs. He explores the idea that despite facing cruel and violent treatment from their owners, dogs remain forgiving, forgetful, and kind towards them. Armitage emphasizes that dogs maintain their loyalty regardless of the punishments they receive, demonstrating their unwavering desire to return home to their owners. A poignant line highlighting this theme is, “To die at home, a dog might walk its four legs to the bone.”
This concept of dogs being gentle, faithful, and compliant subsequently fosters another field of emotions centered around remorse and duty. Armitage employs several verbs, including “hurled,” “kicked,” and “got rid of,” to evoke a strong sense of guilt within the reader towards dogs. Furthermore, this signifies a dereliction of responsibility as the owners fail to take proper care of their dogs’ well-being, which is a fundamental aspect of being a dog owner.
The poem illustrates guilt and neglected responsibility by utilizing connotations like the following quote: “No dog howls like a dog kicked out at night. Try looking a dog like that in the eye.” These lines possess the potential to greatly impact poor dog owners, inspiring them to alter their treatment of their pets. Additionally, another prominent theme explored in the poem revolves around the cruelty inflicted upon dogs.
Cruelty in this poem is associated with two main themes: the loyalty displayed by dogs even when subjected to violence, and the guilt felt by readers for mistreating dogs. This connection is strengthened through the use of verbs such as “kicked”, “hurled”, and “ditched”. The phrase “Kicked out at night” serves to highlight the cruelty inflicted upon dogs by leaving them outside in cold weather for the entire night, demonstrating the harsh treatment they endure. This theme of cruelty seamlessly intersects with the loyalty and violence exhibited by dog owners, highlighting their cruel actions and evoking a sense of guilt within the reader for their neglectful behavior.
Simon Armitage employs vivid imagery in this poem to emphasize the mistreatment of dogs. For instance, he uses the phrase “Bounced like balls” to depict the unwavering loyalty and affection that dogs exhibit towards their owners, despite being subjected to mistreatment. This evokes an image of a dog enthusiastically bouncing up and down in excitement upon seeing its owner or any visitor. Additionally, the poet utilizes imagery to convey a sense of isolation and desolation experienced by abandoned dogs, left stranded miles away from their homes. The poet employs the phrase “Those dogs ditched on the North York Moors” to depict the poignant image of forlorn dogs left alone in a desolate location such as the North York Moors.
“This image is a cruel one, portraying a dog left to fend for itself in the middle of nowhere. Furthermore, there are other instances in the poem where dogs are shown attempting to find their way back home from distant places. One specific image stands out, showing a dog becoming progressively exhausted yet still persistently trying to follow the correct path back home, ultimately ‘crawling the last mile’. With this poem, Armitage not only explores the mistreatment of dogs but also prompts reflection on society’s responsibilities and moral principles.”
The phrase “put dogs on the list” demonstrates a casual attitude towards a person’s tasks and suggests that taking care of a dog is just one more item on a long list of errands. This indifference implies a lack of prioritization or commitment to completing their responsibilities promptly. Looking at this phrase from a societal perspective rather than focusing on the dog itself, it can be interpreted as a metaphor for the way people mistreat and behave immorally towards society. Similarly, the title “Before You Cut Loose” urges the reader to confront the behavior and responsibility of society before completely abandoning it.
The phrase “cutting loose” is commonly connected with releasing something, and in Armitage’s poem, it may relate to releasing decency and morals. This utilization of metaphor is another instance found in the poem. Additionally, the title might imply the release of a dog’s control. Armitage’s intentions in presenting this poem are quite apparent.
Armitage seeks to elicit guilt, provoke contemplation, and stir up emotion. In the poem, he evokes guilt by depicting the cruelty inflicted upon the dogs by their owners. Despite being subjected to violence such as being “kicked” and “hurled,” the dogs remain faithful and submissive. Armitage stimulates thought by exploring various themes, such as loyalty, obedience, and responsibility.
By evoking sympathy, sadness, and guilt in the reader, Armitage effectively stirs emotion. His intentions are evident throughout the poem as he aims to connect it to readers’ lives. Personally, I was profoundly affected by this piece as it made me reflect on how dogs are mistreated. Despite such mistreatment, dogs continue to display loyalty and affection towards their owners.
