Three Poetic Devices in “Amazing Grace”
Today, I will be talking about poetic devices in the famous hymn “Amazing Grace”. Here is a link to the original lyrics: Amazing Grace.
This song is about God's grace, which is compared using a sensory image to a sound that saved him, described as having taught the writer's heart to fear [God], and to relieve his fears [of other things].
This poem uses an ABAB rhyme scheme. The ending of the first line: “how sweet the sound” rhymes with the ending of the third line: “but now am found”, and the ending of the second line “like me” rhymes with the ending of the fourth line “I see”. This rhyme scheme continues through most of the song.
John Newton, the writer of Amazing Grace, uses many metaphors in his song. One can be found in line 4 of verse 1. The writer wasn't physically blind (or else he wouldn't be writing the poem), but he was spiritually blind, and being saved helped him see (or understand) what God was telling him.
