"Grammar"

"Grammar" by Tony Hoagland uses an awe-filled tone enhanced by the symbolism of fire to show the beauty of love. Maxine walks around with a "light" coming from her head. Light is symbolic of something pure and just as fire gives off a beneficial light, Maxine is emanating a light that affects everyone around her. "We've all tried to start a fire", who hasn't tried to find love, the fire of life, in their life? Maxine is the only one able to bear the idea of her beauty, she is the only one able to have the thought of the fact that she is in love. On the other hand, everyone else has been burned by love which can be seen by the "burned hands" that everyone uses to acknowledge that Maxine has found her fire. Tony Hoagland uses the symbolism of fire as love to convey the beauty of love in his poem "Grammar".

"Otherwise"

In "Otherwise", Jane Kenyon reminds readers to appreciate what they have using a thankful tone and repetition. The phrase "It might have been otherwise" is repeated throughout the poem. This emphasizes the luck that the speaker has within his day and the fact the the speaker appreciates it. He goes through multiple amazing situations from waking up with a strong body to having a romantic dinner, constantly repeating the phrase. I would venture that someone close to the speaker had a tragedy that left them unable to do anything that they love and maybe even had lost someone close to them. Because of this, the speaker has a renewed appreciation for what he has, which is emphasized through repetition in Jane Kenyon's "Otherwise".

"A Man I Knew"

"A Man I Knew" by Margaret Levine combines a wanting tone with figurative language to convey the loneliness of being rich. Someone who owns a condo is viewed as being a wealthy individual. Coupled with a maid who comes to clean the entire condo every other week, the man that the speaker knows is extremely affluent. The condo and the maid are metaphors for being rich. However, "the kids that won't" are not visiting their father as opposed to the maid. This is a metaphor for extreme loneliness because someone who has been abandoned by their family is one of the loneliest people. Being "on the dresser" is a metaphor for being close to the heart but far away in actuality. A picture that someone puts on the dresser is one that they want to see everyday just as the man wants to see his children everyday. On top of that, the simile floating "like a boat" is strengthening the love that the father has for his children because just as a boat floats alone, the pictures are alone on the dresser, the only things he wants to see. Using figurative language full of love and loneliness, Margaret Levine conveys the loneliness of an affluent man in "A Man I Knew".

"Nights"

"Nights" by Kevin Hart uses a restful tone with symbolism to convey the choice of laziness. The stars that are above the speaker's house are symbolic of the expanse of space. This shows the infinite amount of options available to the speaker. However, "a path soon lost in dark" is symbolic of something that is slowly being forgotten. The darkness, possibly symbolic of the advancement of time, is swallowing up the opportunities for the speaker. The dinner plate and cup are symbolic of the chores he must do, namely cleaning up. The fact they are both slightly broken is another option that he has the "path" to go down, replace his broken utensils. However, instead of doing anything, the speaker puts his head down and does nothing. The path that he does not need anything to set out on is symbolic of spacing out which is basically synonymous with laziness. Kevin Hart uses intense symbolism to take the reader through the choice of laziness in "Nights".

"The Modern Prometheus"

“The Modern Prometheus” by JJ Kampf is a contemporary work of art combining a careless tone with imagery and metaphors to remind readers to have fun and take advantage of life. The two toddlers are watching television like hawks which brings up the feeling of utter focus and dedication. They are determined to extract as much enjoyment from it as they can. “Midnight looms like New Year’s Eve”, New Year’s Eve is a time of big change and is the culmination of a long and hopefully productive year. By comparing New Year’s Eve to midnight, the speaker puts a much darker twist on New Year’s Eve, having it looming overhead as death looms over life. The toddlers “litter” toys around the living room which arouses images of carelessness and trash. However, “because they smiled” Johnny did not care, he was happy that they were taking advantage of the fact that their parents were out and having fun. Using imagery coupled with metaphors, JJ Kampf masterfully tells the readers to remember to have fun and take advantage of life.

“Driving to Town Late to Mail a Letter”

“Driving to Town Late to Mail a Letter” by Robert Bly uses imagery combined with a comforted tone to convey the feeling of being happy and alone. “A cold and snowy night” is reminiscent of one’s childhood and curling up in front of the fireplace with hot chocolate and feeling extremely cozy safe from the outside. However, not only does the speaker feel safe, he also acknowledges the harsh reality of the “cold metal” which is not only cold and unforgiving but it will also attach itself to one’s tongue. The speaker talks about his “privacy” that he “loves” which is a very intimate word. He is saying that he is adores the familiarity that comes with being alone with his thoughts. Robert Bly ends the poem saying that not only does the speaker love being alone, he will go out of his way to be alone for longer. This poem clearly shows the feeling of being happy and alone by describing the intimacy and safety of one’s own thoughts through imagery.

"Snow"

“Snow” by David Berman showcases a child’s persistence through repetition and imagery with an inquiring tone. The speaker and his little brother are walking through a snow covered field which brings about feelings of tranquility and images of purity. When the speaker’s little brother, Seth asked the speaker “Who had shot them?” talking about the angels that the farmer shot. Then they went out onto the lake and the ice was so clear that it was “like a photograph of water.” This brings up images of ice skating and fun times but still, Seth asks “Why did he shoot them?” and the speaker answers that they were on his property. He is just repeating his question until he can understand the entire situation. Later, as images of bombs and other distracting things pop into the reader’s head because snow makes the outdoors seem like a “room with the walls blasted to shreds and falling.” Seth returns to his repetitious question and asks why they were on the farmer’s property. The combination of repetition and imagery clearly showcase a child’s persistence because Seth does not stop asking direct follow up questions on the speaker’s answers even while distracting things are happening.