"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.