Weekly Post #3 - The Word Picture

In this picture, an almost ghostly specter carries the body of a young woman down a beach on what seems to be a path running along side the ocean. On one side is the ocean, with a barrier of stones and jagged branches, the other the same. It is difficult to determine whether or not the young woman is alive, but the specter carries her with care, down the otherwise treacherous path. Though there are shadows of both, it is hard to tell what is truly making the shadow, since the specter does not appear to be flesh and blood, giving it a mysterious quality.

This picture symbolizes the well known poem, "Footprints in the Sand". This poem is apparently for many years, was said to be by "Author Anonymous". It took years before the author, Mary Stevenson (Zangare), was able too, but do to her discovering a handwritten copy of the poem she had written, she was awarded the copyright, and eventually the handwritten copy was authenticated. Though the poem is not on the picture, the poem speaks of a man who had a dream about walking beside God on a beach, during his walk he saw his life flash before his eyes, and saw a single pair during his times of trial and hardship. He asked God about this, thinking he had been alone during these times, God told him that these were the times that He Himself carried him, not letting him be alone to carry these troubles.
This poem is generally thought of as a poem, though the format is more of a conversation format. In formalism, this poem would be looked at from all angles, including the relationship between the author and God. Though this theory itself could be argued, since formalism goes for a more formal approach rather than a more informal approach, like structuralism does. With structuralism, this poem would be looked at as the close relationship between God  and the author, and the author wondering why they feel that they are alone in the worst parts of their lives, when in fact, God tells them that He is there the entire time and carries them in His arms through that period of struggle.