"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.