"Selecting a Reader"

In “Selecting a Reader,” Ted Kooser sets an earnest tone as he uses diction and symbolism to describe his ideal writing audience. The reader may be confused at first, because Kooser’s description of the perfect reader is actually someone who doesn’t end up buying his book. However, his word choice shows that this reader embodies many of the characteristics of his poems. She should be “beautiful” and take action “carefully,” just like his writing is both aesthetically pleasing and methodically created. But one of the most important elements of this reader is what she is wearing. Kooser specifically has her wearing glasses because she needs to see clearly, in a figurative sense in addition to a literal one. When she reads Kooser’s poems, she gains the clarity she needs to appreciate the simple things in life, like a clean raincoat. After “she will thumb over my poems,” she realizes that she has enough money to buy her own raincoat. And she not only think this to herself, but she takes action and goes off to buy it. This is what Kooser seeks to do with his writing. He wants to show the significance of the oft-overlooked details of life. Through his writing, he is able to achieve this and make the world a better place.

"A Primer of the Daily Round"

In “A Primer of the Daily Round,” Howard Nemerov sets a mocking tone as he uses personification and irony to ridicule the rigid nature of modern society and education. He brings the alphabet to life, using them to get his message across. For instance, he remarks that “A Peels an apple, while B kneels to God.” However, he puts a very dark, ironic twist on it. Usually, schoolteachers will use this alphabetic personification to teach their students to read and spell, but he makes such comments as “G turns up the sod/For H’s grave.” Perhaps Nemerov puts this negative spin on it to directly mock the system and show that we need to change the way we treat every student the same way, because this will place  their passion for learning in the metaphorical grave. This message is even conveyed in the title, “A Primer of the Daily Round.” Nemerov is saying we need to end this daily repetition that can be summed up with this monotonous alphabetic lesson.

"Otherwise"

In “Otherwise,” Jane Kenyon sets a grateful tone as she uses repetition, diction, and syntax to show that life is so great she almost feels as if it’s a dream, but she doesn’t know how much longer it can last. She describes her perfect day, but continues to repeat the phrase “it might have been otherwise” throughout the poem. By continuing to repeat this phrase, she emphasizes that her day was so good that she must be living in some sort of dream because it can’t be real. The repetition really hammers this idea into the reader. Next, her diction helps her appreciation for her great day really shine through. She remarks that she woke up with two “strong” legs and her breakfast was “sweet...ripe...flawless.” How lucky must she feel to do everything she wants to do in one day? Her syntax also shows that she is living in a dream because every line is the same length. For her, every day has been the same, living in a fantasy. I think the syntax also foreshadows that her luck will soon change and there will be a variation in line length. Overall, her literary devices are really appropriate to convey her message.

"Fault"

In “Fault,” Ron Koertge sets a humorous tone as he uses diction and syntax to explain a teen’s feeling that no matter how much mom worries, she will be okay. The writer is going on a trip and the mother is very upset and worried. However, he uses specific word choice to make a lighthearted tone and assure her. He describes the “blonde entomologist,”the “deceitful” adventurers, and the “good-looking” pilot. These exaggerated descriptions set the mood a little lighter because when the mother is tense, the child is perfectly fine. Additionally, the writer uses syntax to convey the message. Every stanza has four lines, which shows that life will go on. Nothing changes even though the child is going away from the mother. They will all be fine.

"The Green One Over There"

In “The Green One Over There,” Katia Kapovich creates a resentful and competitive tone as she uses comparison, metaphor, and synecdoche to show how sibling rivalry can create negative feelings within a family. The whole poem compares the speaker with her younger brother. Watching him grow up, the speaker can’t help but envy his superior traits. Kapovich uses effective comparison to set this up, remarking that “he was innately kind unlike me at his age.” Often, the basis of sibling competition is a desire for the sole affection of parents. Kapovich uses a metaphor to explain how this played into the speaker’s feelings, explaining that “Tim attracted all the love my father had frozen in his heart when I was growing up.” This vivid figurative language draws the reader closer to the speaker and helps them empathize with the speaker’s feeling of emptiness. Who doesn’t want to be loved by their parents? When the speaker’s brother falls ill, Kapovich uses clever synecdoche to convey his motivation and drive to succeed. When offered treatment, he “pushed away the hand of medicine.” Not only is he physically denying the pills, but the last thing he wants to do is get help in his recovery process. Kapovich uses masterfully maximizes these techniques to strengthen the message of her poem.

"A Man I Knew"

In “A Man I Knew,” Margaret Levine sets a sad and detached tone, using symbolism, simile, and syntax to describe a former loved one with all of the wrong priorities. The title denotes that this was someone Margaret used to be close with, perhaps an ex-lover. The symbolism begins with the first line, where the reader is introduced to the man by understanding that he has “a condo.” A condo is usually a luxurious apartment, so this man is about his material possessions. Next, there is a maid who “comes every other week.” Why would he need someone cleaning once every two weeks? This is a symbol of disloyalty and sexual promiscuity, which the man seems to be fond of. Finally, there is the symbol of “kids...on the dresser...like a boat.” His kids don’t visit him, and this simile of a boat represents his broken relationship with them. He views them as just another of his material possessions, and they float around because their relationship is adrift and he rarely sees them. Finally, the syntax of the poem is very strange. It has short and fragmented stanzas, and I think this represents the man’s torn familial relationships and incomplete, unfulfilling lifestyle.

"Driving to Town Late to Mail a Letter"

In “Driving to Town Late to Mail a Letter,” Robert Bly sets a relaxed and peaceful tone, using style, imagery, and diction to show that sometimes in life you need to just step back and enjoy your surroundings. The poem takes place late at night, when the speaker is delivering a letter in the snow. The whole poem is written in free verse, which is symbolic of his carefree and nonchalant attitude as he explores the night. Furthermore, he uses vivid description to show the loneliness and frigidness of the night, commenting on the “cold iron” of the mailbox and the “swirls of snow” that symbolize purity and peace. Finally, his diction reveals his true purpose. The reader understands that Bly doesn’t really care about mailing the letter because after mailing it, he remarks that he will now “waste more time.” This implies that mailing the letter was a waste of time, and he was just doing it for the purpose of enjoying nature in all of its beauty. Additionally, he isn’t walking but he is “driving around.” The word “around” represents the fact that he has nowhere specific to go, but he is just enjoying being alone. Through these various techniques, Bly shows that appreciating life is a necessity that we all too often miss out on.

"She Didn't Mean to Do It"

In “She Didn’t Mean to Do It,” Daisy Fried sets a remorseful tone as she uses parallelism, repetition, and vivid diction to show that often temptations aren’t worth pursuing. The poem starts and ends in the same way, with the verse “Oh, she was sad, oh she was sad/She didn’t mean to do it.” Not only does the parallel structure at the opposite ends of the poem leave the reader with a strong impression, the repetition within the stanza emphasizes that the guilt the subject feels during and after partaking in this tempting activity, whatever that may be. There is more repetition throughout the poem, such as when Fried remarks that these enticing activities will soon be “gone, gone, gone.” This repetition may symbolize how the subject is left thinking the same thing over and over, how they shouldn’t have participated in this activity. Fried’s word choice also makes it clear that it’s better to stay away from fleeting pleasures. These “certain thrills” can “knock you flat,” but then they “fade.” Additionally, the rest of society will hear the “gonging” of these pleasures. All of these words emphasize the fact that while tempting activities are fun, they aren’t worth it in the long run.

“Gouge, Adze, Rasp, Hammer”

In “Gouge, Adze, Rasp, Hammer,” Chris Forhan sets a heartbreaking and lovesick tone as he uses contrast, imagery, and syntax to articulate on his journey of getting over a loved one leaving. Forhan sets the human mind and body against the wonders of nature, explaining the beauty that the “scumbled clouds” don’t have any feelings or love lives to worry about. Nature is always beautiful, and it never has to worry about getting messed up. Forhan uses great detail and imagery to expound on the natural wonders of the world, emphasizing that the “pears, mellowed to a golden-green, glow like flames among the boughs.” His syntax is also very methodical. Every stanza is three lines, and that pattern does not break throughout the poem. Perhaps Forhan is sending yet another message that nature never changes, and also about how every day is the same without his lover. Finally, he contrasts nature with artificial tools, saying that they are forceful objects while plants and such are untouched, pure, and divine phenomena.

"Meadow"

In “Meadow,” Kate Knapp Johnson sets a lost but intimate tone as she uses syntax, diction, and imagery to emphasize the passage of time. It is very interesting to note the irregularity of the sentence division in the poem because it doesn’t line up with the stanzas. Instead of ending each stanza with a clear thought, the reader is left with an unfinished sentence ending in a verb, such as “I wanted to know just one thing (stanza ends)...about the soul.” Perhaps this conveys Johnson’s sense of total confusion as she tries to find her companion through the window. At the same time, Johnson brings the reader closer to her loved one by the word she uses to describe him/her. She makes up the word “withness” in saying that her beloved will always remain with her. This draws an intimate bond between Johnson and her reader. Finally, Johnson uses imagery to symbolize the passage of time. For instance, when she says “two inches of snow have fallen,” the reader can imagine the gradual precipitation and better understand how the author is feeling. Overall, Johnson does a great job of using these techniques to convey her message.

The Modern Prometheus

Soft pajamas lay idle in the closet

The two toddlers totally sprawled

eyes glued to the screen like a hawk.

Bedtime clothes right away, and no TV for either of them.

Midnight looms like New Year’s Eve.

In bed by 10. No exceptions.

Hard sour chewies dangle from their mouths

like gymnasts hang from wide beams.

Robbie should not have watched Daddy Day Care before using the restroom.

No sugary candy, none whatsoever.

They laugh, they play, they cry.

They litter the living room with toys

Their mother and father would scream sourly if they saw.

But Johnny didn’t care

because they smiled.

Domestic Work, 1937

In “Domestic Work, 1937,” Natasha Tretheway sets a colorful, hopeful, and ambitious tone, using syntax, imagery, and parallel structure to tell the story of a young maidservant wishing for a better life. The girl is a victim of the oft-discussed and studied gender role issue in society, where she is relegated to housework and chores instead of making a life and career for herself. Tretheway makes every line in the poem the same length, perhaps to convey the monotonous routine the girl settles into, cleaning and scrubbing every day without exception. Additionally, Tretheway uses vivid imagery to show the girl’s sorry plight, like when she “stared down her own face in the shine of copper-bottomed pots.” This makes her feelings much more real, and it contrasts the idea that the girl wants to shine in her own life but instead she shines pots and pans all day. However, Sunday is church day, when she “raises the shades, washes the room in light.” Sunday, the day when she doesn’t have to work and instead relishes in her religion, gives her hope that she will one day become a strong, independent woman. Finally, Tretheway uses parallel structure, italicizing lines after each paragraph when the girl talks to herself. This builds up hope and shows the reader that although she is relegated to robotic housework, the girl has a mind and an imagination of her own, one that is constantly changing.

Before She Died

In “Before She Died,” Karen Chase sets a nostalgic tone, using syntax and diction to capture the feeling of life without a loved one. Throughout the poem, Chase uses a great deal of punctuation, making the reader stop at several points throughout the reading. This reflects the theme of the poem, that life is absolute and that moments are fleeting. Chase is trying to tell the reader that you need to stop and appreciate each day, because you never know when the next one will come. Additionally, the vivid words in the passage describe the feelings the speaker is trying to convey, ones of love, mortality and emotional dependency. Through her dog Wool, who is “panting and aged,” Chase relays the idea that we get older and will eventually pass away. Furthermore, strong words like “finite” concretize the meaning of the poem.

Remora, Remora

In “Remora, Remora,” Thomas Lux sets a regretful tone, using metaphor and imagery to explain the ever-existent and unfair social hierarchy of society. He uses the metaphor of sharks in the sea to describe how the smaller shark clings to the bigger shark, which can represent a boss, father, or any other main authority figure. He also uses a metaphor to show how the smaller shark learns and benefits from the bigger one, saying it’s “feeding off its crumbs.” He goes on to include many smaller and smaller sharks, each feeding off of each other. His imagery is key because he emphasizes that the shark next in line is only an “inch or two” smaller than its superior. He uses this to show that we give authority to people who are only just a little better than those they are leading, which may not be fair. Finally, he describes how the smallest in society get “sliced off” without a say or an opportunity in the world. He uses the title “Remora” because it means “sucker shark.”

Wheels

In “Wheels,” Jim Daniels sets a nostalgic tone, using symbolism, syntax and repetition to show that life is always moving forward, and maturing is about saying goodbye to the past and welcoming the future. Daniels mourns the loss of his brother and reflects on his brother’s life, but he can’t come to terms with the loss. As such, he uses objects like cars and cameras to represent emotions. The word “waving” is repeated fourteen times throughout the poem and is used as a way for time to move forward. As his brother enters new stages in his life, he waves goodbye to the last stage. Additionally, there is very little punctuation in the poem, for example “holding a wrench a rag a hose a shammy waving.” Usually there should be commas to separate the subjects, but Daniels, through his lack of punctuation, shows that life continues and waits for nobody.

Bad Day

In “Bad Day,” Kay Ryan sets a pensive and empathetic tone, using syntax and metaphor to show that even the most simple jobs come with opportunities for introspection and searches for meaning. Throughout the poem, the lines are the same length and there is very little dramatic changes in grammar. Ryan purposely does this to show the seemingly routine life of the tailor. Every day is the same, going to his job and fixing up clothing for customers. However, he uses the metaphor of the cloth to show that there is much more to this job, and the tailor sometimes has days of clarity and sometimes just can’t understand anything in his life. Although he’s doing the same job everyday, his thought processes are much different each day and his outlook on life is reflected by his job.

The Partial Explanation

In “The Partial Explanation,” Charles Simic brings a gloomy and downcast tone, using diction, syntax and imagery to show that a friend makes all the difference. Words like “grimy”, “darker,” and “longing” give a vivid impression of incompletion and discontent. Simic lets these words set the stage and create the feeling of the poem. Additionally, the poem is comprised of short sentences, giving it a choppy and uneven rhythm. There is no flow, and this complements the unsatisfactory and dark diction. Finally, Simic uses imagery to set the scene as a cold day when the “snow was falling outside.” Who likes a cold day? Nobody, that’s who. Simic combines these elements to create a complete poem, showing the reader that a cold day is better when somebody is by your side.

"The Poet"

In “The Poet,” Tom Wayman uses a humorous and ironic tone, utilizing catalog and parallel structure to capture the quirky personality and rare analytical skills of a poet. He creates a rhythmically-structured grocery list that is easy for the reader to understand. By saying the poet “Does not understand what he reads Does not understand what he hears,” Wayman invites the reader to look deeper into his meaning, because everybody knows that poets usually have exceptional reading comprehension abilities. In truth, he means that poets can’t do these simple tasks because they always have to investigate further and they can never take things at face value, so they never feel like they properly understand it fully. Because a poet is constantly gaining new interpretations of his readings, he “May recognize a word one day and not the next.” His sarcasm really emphasizes to the reader what it means to be a thoughtful person who constantly wants to know more.

"Neglect"

In “Neglect,” R.T. Smith conveys a remorseful and regretful tone as he uses metaphor and diction to teach an important lesson about appreciating those around us and maximizing the time we have with them. Smith didn’t appreciate his apple tree until it was gone, and he uses vivid, active words to describe what his unappreciation did to the tree, like “skew the sap’s passage, blacken leaves, dry the bark heart.” Perhaps Smith went through a tragedy in his own life and only later realized that he left this person “unloved, untended,” which prompted him to write this piece. At the end of the poem, he focuses on the word “red,” which evokes a feeling of death and sadness.

"The Cord"

In “The Cord,” Leanne O’Sullivan sets a regretful and appreciative tone as she uses description and metaphor to show that however distant we teenagers may seem, we are always within the grasp of our parents. She paints the classic teenager attitude: my parents just don’t “get” me. As such, she retreats to her room to enjoy the rush of speaking with her friends about meaningless topics like boys and hair dye. O’Sullivan uses the phone cord as a metaphor for her relationship with her mother, regretfully understanding that it was likely difficult for her mom to watch “the cord stretching its muscle away from her” as O’Sullivan became increasingly distant. She was ungrateful and didn’t understand or appreciate everything her mother did for her. O’Sullivan speaks to the classic cycle, as the teen strays from their family for newer, more adventurous buddies. However, like the phone cord, their relationship may stretch, but it will always bounce back.

"Do You Have Any Advice For Those Of Us Just Starting Out?"

In “‘Do You Have Any Advice For Those Of Us Just Starting Out?’”, Ron Koertge paints a tranquil and relaxed tone as he uses comparison and an analogy to show that great poetry isn’t forced and there is no specific formula; it comes naturally through joy and experience. He uses a technique of explaining one example but actually referring to a general rule for creative thinking. For example, he warns not to be in a room where “more than three people are wearing turtlenecks.” He does not mean this literally, but he’s saying that you need variety in order to think imaginatively and write effectively. Finally, he uses an analogy of a child making a tower of books. When the tower finally falls, the child laughs. In life, you just have to life while everyone else is upset. Don’t take things too seriously; this attitude will help you be happy and write good poetry.

"The Blue Bowl" by Jane Kenyon

In “The Blue Bowl,” Jane Kenyon creates a tone of sorrow and longing, using imagery and sharp detail to show that dealing with the death of a pet is no easier than experiencing the passing of a family member. Her description of her own state while burying her cat brings her to level ground with the animal, showing that humans can also be “like primitives” and “bare-handed” during low points in their lives. She is saying that although we are beautiful and complex creatures, we are not always high and mighty and better than animals, contrary to what we sometimes think. She paints a beautiful picture of her cat as he goes to the grave by utilizing vivid imagery and sharp details, like his snow white feathers. She uses the weather to reflect the sorrow mood, and even when the air clears, she uses figurative language to show that the lost are not forgotten. Throughout this poem, Kenyon expertly maneuvers her words to show that our dear pets can even bring us to extreme sadness.

"The Summer I Was Sixteen"

In “The Summer I Was Sixteen,” Geraldine Connolly displays a tone of nostalgia and playfulness as she uses diction to look back at the time of her life. At this time in her life, everything was clean and uncomplicated, with the biggest worry being how to best have a good time. She swims in a “turquoise” pool, connoting immaculate and fresh water indicative of how she lived the rest of her life. Looking back, she laughs at how her younger self “did not exist beyond the gaze of a boy,” and could not look past the shallow things in life. It is no coincidence that this poem take place in the summertime, because it is all about the material possessions in life and how they take over. At this point in her life, all Geraldine cared about was whether or not she was tan and oiled on the beach. Her mentioning of “Dreamsicles” and “cherry cola” really shows how much she was absorbed in this materialistic, summer lifestyle. Throughout the poem, Connolly uses these specific words to drive home her main ideas.