The study deals with semantic deviation in examining the poetic language featured in the text “The Secretary chant” By Marge Piercy. By specifically focusing on the analysis of deviating features such as metaphors, the analysis hopes to interpret the meaning of the poem, Informed. By Leech’s (1969). classification of tropes, semantic relations are marked through the evaluation of lexical features. As suggested by MacIntyre’s (2002) procedure of examination, the text reveals the poet’s use of figurative devices to create a vivid picture of the persona’s melancholic state 7he occurrence of heavy metaphors suggests a strong use of semantic deviation. This is determined by the identification of irregularities in lexical choice to unmask the text’s sense. In addition, the poet’s graphological organization of the poem’s structure reinforces the resolution of the theme. Pedagogically, this study promotes critical poetry reading by encouraging creative and responsive skills.
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