Critics of poetry are conscious of the use of ambiguity in various ways to great effect by poets for various purposes. It may be employed metaphorically, symbolically, purely accidentally or syntactically. Paradox, irony, contradiction and equivalence might exist in some accidental or intentional innuendo or double entendre as for example in satire or as a joke. Because words may have more than one meaning or can be used in an original or symbolic manner then ambiguity, which relies heavily on contradiction and contradistinction, can therefore be seen as a form of similarity or dissimilarity in a semantic sense, in a syntactical or even in a metaphorical sense. In 1930 the literary critic William Empson actually identified “Seven Types of Ambiguity” in a book of the same name and they consist of the following:

1. Paradox
2. Irony
3. Satire
4. Contradistinction
5. Ambivalence
6. Equivalence (Coincidence)
7. Distinction

Can anyone compose a poem on this theme?

Leonidas,
This is a revision of an oldie.

It is years since I read Empson...So, is this satire or irony...(or ambivalence?)...I look forward to your opinion.


For Anne Feradi


(From the post abortion Celestial
Feminist Society)
 
So! certain foetal girls are sorted,
Gendered, selected, and aborted -
Severed from mothers and next of kin -
Solely for being feminine?
 
Bravo! we here are all supporting
Selecting females for aborting.
You can`t have real equality
With opters out for being she !

Celestial Feminism adds it`s voice
To your bold defense of Female choice.
So go, girl, go with all your might
We are all convinced you`re right

(Our celestial brothers keep making the
ridiculous accusation that girl-selecting
is pure feminine favourism.)

I like ambiguity. Well done Leonidas for isolating what the seven types of ambiguity are. I find that book difficult myself.
This is a poem I wrote that uses ambiguity. I will leave others to decide what kinds.

Poem
I was just this piece of paper
And I wanted to be a poem.
I lay there, white and silky
Letting this guy write on me.
-His words, his anger, his conceit.-
Till he was totally frustrated.
Crumpled me into a ball and threw me down.

I was just this crushed up bit of paper.
The others said, “you’re all screwed up.”
“You’ve got to get yourself straightened out, somehow.”
I was full of anger, and conceit.

This woman picked me up
And began to smooth me out.
She didn’t much like what she saw,
But she didn’t blame me for it.

I said, “look, I’m just this bit of paper,
All scribbled on, and crumpled.”
But she said “no, you’re a poem. Listen.”
And she read me aloud.

I said – “who wrote that?”
She said, “It’s just you.
But it’s me, as well.”

Hi all, My apologies have been struck down by virulent flu for a few days now.

I read Empson's book which is available free on the internet and paraphrased his observations and I agree with Freda it is like eating heavy porridge and concrete all at once trying to decipher his analytic method is a grind!

Anyway, in response to Harry's effort (which is quite challenging) I'd say that there was more ambivalence here than irony or satire in that attempt? I understand that Mary Stopes (an ardent feminist), it was recently announced on radio 4 in a controversial programmme on eugenics in the 21st century, was all in favour of contraception for the poor and illiterate working class. I'm not entirely certain that was a good idea or what her views on abortion were. Clearly there is a synthesis of ideas here on the subject of feminism. However, is Freda's poem (which I enjoyed) an example of contradistinction or paradox? Thanks for your contributions ;-)

It has occurred to me that ambiguity may be contained semantically (meaning), syntactically in terms of style, and in a narrative sense (chronologically).

Here is my own contribution to this poetic exercise:

The Tattooed Lady:

<The tattooed lady has something to hide;
A tangled romance in a web of lies.
Though she smiles discreetly,
You can see in her eyes
That the tattooed lady was hurting inside.>

<Golden palm leaves were laid on my path
I came on a donkey to kick ass!
I came here to have the last laugh
But the last laugh laughed at me at last.>

This is pure paradox with almost comic overtones.

Your Presence:

<I never treasure your presence
Your presence is rarely missed
I look forward to your absence
Especially when you’re pissed.>

I think this is an example of comic satire and contains an element of sardonic ambiguity.

Freda`s poem


The style is free

The initial temptation is to read this as some
sort of Feminist take on the historical position of women.

Section one`s figuration of the poet as `just` a (useable?) piece of paper wanting to be a poet, with its faintly sexy `lay` `white and silky` and `letting` a male write on her his own `anger` and `conceit` (hyphen separated) until, in his own frustration, he crumpled her and threw her down, reads like a Feminist account of how women were used and then `written` out of history by men. (to the men`s own misfortune)

Section two could be read as `the others` (sisters?) lamenting her (their own?) condition and determining on reform. It finishes with a (non - hyphen separated) repeat of `anger and conceit`.

In section three `the woman` (particular?) rescuer who begins to sort her out exonerates her from blame for her condition.

Section four is the admission of a presumed status quo answered by a reassurance that her ambition to be a poem is fulfilled, followed by the recitation of the `anger and `conceit` written upon thing that she is, but now called a poem.

Section five is the enigmatic `who wrote that` (we know who wrote it) and the equally enigmatic `but it`s me as well`.


The trouble with Empson`s types is that in practice they tend to merge into each other – but here goes! (have mercy)

In section one:
1...The personification of the woman as
utilitarian paper is irony
2...The faintly sexy stuff is ambivalence.
3...The hyphen- separated stuff could be
called contradistiction.

In section two:
1...the sisters bit is equivalence
2...The absence of the hyphenation
is tricky – is it equivalence..or is
it contradistinction?

Section three:
Can`t see any at all.


Section four:
1...If, in `you`re a poem` and the `read me`
the meaning is the poet personally, then
it is equivalence (with true poetry)

Section five
The word-play between `who` `you` `me`
and `as well` turn this into a little ping -
pong contest between irony, satire, and
equivalence.

(It was fun trying to discern the types ( but
bloody strenuous)

Well done Harry, let's say section 3 of Freda's poem:

<This woman picked me up
And began to smooth me out.
She didn’t much like what she saw,
But she didn’t blame me for it.>

Having been abandonned, so to speak, by a man she is "picked up"-(slang)the meaning could be construed sexually as an innuendo and is therefore ambiguous. Are there lesbian as well as sexual undertones being inferred? "Began to smooth me out" (removal of creases/wrinkles) as a woman does when ironing. Men dislike ironing!

I have enjoyed this thread. Good idea, Leonidas. I couldn't begin to offer any input, but it sure is interesting. I will return for a fresh, second look, because it's heavy going just once through. Love your poem, Freda, and your analysis, Harry. Thanks to you all for the time and effort.

Very interesting to get your views on this. I certainly didn't work it out, but it kind of wrote itself as some poems do.
I think the most ambiguous aspect of my poem is the question of whether it is about a woman or a piece of paper/ a poem. It seems to me to combine two voices, so that you can read it as a woman talking about her relationships, in which case you can say that 'being a poem' means being beautiful and loved; or you can read it as being a poem, which it is, on a virtual piece of paper, which it is.
Within that ambiguity, I am exploring what a poem is, because it is often the case for me that my first drafts, scribbled on paper, often (when I was younger)about feelings and relationships being difficult and damaging, and often screwed up and rejected, because of my lack of confidence. Then smoothing them out and comforting myself, or gaining confidence from the support of other women, poems can be rescued and gain meaning and power.
I have also had support from men, but when I was lacking confidence this did not work for me. It was women who I felt judged by, and their recognition was important. Yes there is a feminist sisterhood thing here too, which came from a group of mainly lesbian women.
This poem can easily be taken as blaming men, but actually although it speaks of anger and conceit, it also recognises the man's frustration, which is the source of anger.
I have been in many roles where I have supported other women who are searching for confidence and self esteem, and this poem was drawing on their thoughts and responses as well as my own experience.
But as poets, we can all find our work hard to appreciate until others find in it what we hope to express. Open Mic sessions are amazing when someone reads for the first time and feels that response.