‘On My Boat on Lake Cayuga’ is written by the American author William Cole, famous for his light poetry. This poem is about a man and his boat. He prefers to sail across Cayuga Lake more than riding a car and honking across the streets. In just four short lines, the speaker establishes the difference between traditional and modern vehicles and draws upon the sense of sound to elevate the humorous effect.
Summary
‘On My Boat on Lake Cayuga’ by William Cole is a short poem about a man and his boat.
The speaker of this piece imagines himself on his boat sailing across the scenic Cayuga Lake. He prefers sailing on the lake rather than driving on the road. His attitude towards cars seems dismissive as he calls the people who use them “modern creep[s].” They are always in a hurry and keep honking. It annoys the speaker the most, and it gets reflected in the poem’s tone. Besides, the speaker is free-spirited and prefers the openness of the lake rather than the hustle and bustle of the roads. In totality, this poem speaks about the speaker’s preferences in life.
Detailed Analysis
Lines 1-2
On my boat on Lake Cayuga
(…)
In the first line of the poem, the speaker simply imagines himself riding his boat on Cayuga Lake, the longest glacial Finger Lakes of central New York. This lake is named after the indigenous Cayuga people. It is very popular among recreational boaters. The lake’s image sets a soothing background for the poem. Besides, it evokes a sense of calmness in the readers’ minds.
In the second line, the speaker says that he has a horn that sounds “Ay-oogah!” rather than the sound of a sophisticated car. This word not only hints at the sound of the boat’s horn but also refers to an expression of indigenous people. This term can be used while expressing joy and pleasure.
Through these lines, Cole refers to the wild and raw nature of the speaker. He likes to be in the open air, free and unhinged, and sail on his boat.
Lines 3-4
(…)
Who has a horn that goes “beep-beep.”
In the third line, the speaker differentiates himself from the people who drive modern cars. He refers to them as “modern creep[s].” The term “creep” is used to refer to a number of ideas. Cole’s speaker might be referring to modern men as detestable beings, having no moral values at all. They behave oddly in the hope of advancement. This term can also be used to refer to an automatic car that can run without the accelerator being pushed by the driver. The speaker’s tone is judgemental in this line and suggests that he looks down upon those people.
In the last line, the speaker talks about the sound their car horns make. They go, “beep-beep.” Here, Cole uses a repetition of the “beep” sound to evoke the scene of a busy road. Besides, he uses the word twice to maintain the overall meter of the poem that is in iambic tetrameter.
Structure
The light verse poem ‘On My Boat on Lake Cayuga’ is written from the perspective of a first-person speaker. Its rhyme scheme is AABB. In the first two lines, the word “Cayuga” interestingly rhymes with “Ay-oogah!”. In the following lines, “creep,” and “beep” rhyme together. Hence, the text contains two rhyming couplets. The tone of the poem is simple on the surface, but it speaks for the speaker’s annoyance with the modern lifestyle. Cole sets a fresh, calm, and open mood by the first two lines. In contrast, the mood of the following lines reflects the chaos of modern city life.
Literary Devices
Readers can find the use of the following literary devices in Cole’s poem ‘On My Boat on Lake Cayuga’.
- Alliteration: It occurs in “have a horn,” “has a horn,” and “beep-beep.”
- Onomatopoeia: The poet uses words like “Ay-oogah” and “beep-beep” to convey the sounds of his boat’s horn and that of cars.
- Enjambment: It occurs in the lines, “I’m not the sort of modern creep/ Who has a horn that goes “beep-beep.”
- Imagery: The poet conjures up an image of a boat sailing on Lake Cayuga in New York. This image sets a calming mood in the first two lines. He also uses auditory imagery to refer to the sounds of a boat’s horn and a car’s horn.
Historical Context
William Cole was an American writer, columnist, author, and light verse poet. His light poetry often appeared in Light Quarterly and was published in The Oxford Book of American Light Verse. After his service in World War II, Cole took jobs in the publishing industry. He was a prolific writer and editor; he authored over 75 books. The American Library Association honored his several books. His poem ‘On My Boat on Lake Cayuga’ is about a man and his boat. He prefers the sound of his boat horn to a car’s disturbing honking. Through this simple, humorous verse, Cole contrasts the modern lifestyle with the traditional way of living.
FAQs
This poem is about how a speaker likes the openness of Cayuga Lake. He prefers riding his boat on the lake more than driving modern cars—this attitude of the speaker hints at his free spirit and love for nature.
This poem is all about the freedom one can find in open nature. The speaker of this poem likes openness rather than the packed roads and traffic. Through this poem, the poet describes how people tend to like the freshness of lakes (nature) more than busy streets because it keeps them grounded and settled.
It is a light verse poem with the AABB rhyme scheme. Each line consists of eight syllables. The stress falls on the second syllable of each foot. Hence, the poem is written in iambic tetrameter. Besides, the poem is told from the perspective of a first-person speaker.
The main themes of the poem are nature, free will, preferences, modernity, and traditions. This poem is about a man who prefers the sound of his boat’s horn more than the car’s annoying honking.
Similar Poems
Readers who liked reading William Cole’s light verse poem ‘On My Boat on Lake Cayuga’ may consider reading the following poems.
- ‘Boat Stealing: The Prelude’ by William Wordsworth — This poem explores Wordsworth’s childhood thoughts and how they changed over time.
- ‘A Lake and a Fairy Boat’ by Thomas Hood — This piece deals with the theme of coming of age and describes the transition from childhood to adulthood.
- ‘A Country Life’ by Randall Jarrell — This poem depicts the impacts of life, death, and loneliness on one’s life before their actual death.
- ‘Cold Knap Lake’ by Gillian Clarke — This piece captures the essence of a memory, its form, and finer details.
You can also explore these short humorous poems.
