Student Question

What is the central idea of Frank Finale's poem "A Walk Along the Beach"?

Quick answer:

The central idea of Frank Finale's poem "A Walk Along the Beach" is the profound connection between experiencing natural beauty and finding inner peace. The speaker uses the beach's sensory delights to metaphorically equate life with beauty, emphasizing how such experiences lead to a sense of fulfillment and happiness. The poem concludes with a call to spread love, suggesting that peace will naturally follow, encapsulating the essence of appreciating life's beauty.

Expert Answers

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The central idea of the poem is expressed most succinctly in its last line:

Spread the love... The peace will follow... 

Throughout the poem, the speaker focuses on the beauty of nature that he is surrounded by. He uses his walk on the beach and the wonderful and exhilarating sights and sounds that he experiences as a metaphor for the beauty of life. He relishes all that is beautiful and takes great pleasure in describing whatever he senses. The repetition of the definite article, 'the' at the beginning of most of the lines emphasises the effect the natural wonders he is surrounded by has on all his senses.

The speaker is enthralled by the feel of the sun's warm glow on his skin, the vision of sunlight reflected on the ocean, the sound made by the waves, the touch of sand on his bare feet and the sensation of wind blowing through his hair. These sensations are invigorating and pleasurable. The speaker is literally intoxicated by the wonder of it all. It is as if he has achieved nirvana for he is fulfilled and happy. He says that his walk on the beach and experiencing all these wonderful sensations make him realise that being alive is a beautiful thing. 

The speaker metaphorically equates life with beauty. He accentuates this statement by preceding and ending it with an ellipsis, making it stand on its own. It is clear that the speaker loves life and everything beautiful about it. In the final line he asks the reader to circulate this love since peace will naturally follow and this is the essence of the poem.

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