Amazing Grace poem

The poem I chose was “Amazing Grace” by John Newton. John Newton was born in London, July 24, 1725 and died December 21, 1807. He was an Anglican priest and hymn writer, advocating the Christianity view of redemptive forgiveness. He wrote “Amazing Grace” as an element of that prospect (Clugston, 2010). “Amazing Grace” is one of the most famous poems ever written and composed. This poem is also a hymn that speaks too many who is looking for salvation, forgiveness, grace and faith. This form of poetry is narrative poetry because it tells us a story in a song about salvation. Amazing Grace” also uses figurative speech to express imaginative and distinctive effect. I grew up in a Baptist church where I still attend today. We would sing “Amazing Grace” every Sunday as one of our devotional hymns. Devotion is what we have before our church service starts. About three deacons would stand in front of the church and pray, read scriptures, and sing hymn with the congregation. Every Sunday it never failed “Amazing Grace” was a hymn that was going to be song. This hymn is one of the most popular hymns of all time.

The literary element that I thought contributed to this poem was tone, content, and form. Using these literary elements is what makes this poem a significant piece of poetry in history. “A hymn is a lyric poem or scared song, which is written in praise to a deity or spirit” (Wheeler, 2012). The poem “Amazing Grace” is different from any poem that has been ever written. This poem is unique because it is written in the form of a song. When you see “Amazing Grace” no one ever stops to read it as a poem, that poem is automatically song without any hesitation.

This type of literary element is to be specifically heard, not to be read. “Amazing Grace! How sweet the sound. That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost but now I’m found. Was blind, but now I see” (Clugston, 2010). By listening to the words of that song pretty much tells us what kind of person John Newton was, and how he changed his life. Throughout this poem Newton is talking about different events, or thing that has happened to him during his lifetime.

These elements affected my response to this poem because I never knew that this hymn originated from a poem. I always thought that this was a song and I knew we would sing it church on Sundays. Some people use this song at funerals and many different church functions such as a theme or some sort. Now by actually looking at the poem and getting a chance to read it in poem form I have a different point of view on this particular poem. I always though Amazing Grace was a hymn. I had no idea that it originated from a poem.

This song is universal and is known throughout the world by its lyrics. This poem comes to life after you have read or sung it. It really makes you think with all the different elements that he uses in the poem. He used words to describe himself such as wretch. He used words to let you know the difference between right and wrong. He used these words to captivate his audience and to let them know where his faith stood. Amazing Grace demonstrates purity as it relates to the excellence and awe of divine love.