"Thanks For Remembering Us" by Dana Gioia

Dana Gioia's "Thanks For Remembering Us" uses an ashamed and sarcastic tone along with metaphor to illustrate the fragility of relationships and the paranoia of humans. She brings up the situation of flower's showing up to a house by a mistake, and the couple quickly falls into disarray, wondering if they might have been there because of an affair. She does this through metaphor, as she illustrates the deterioration of the flowers. She writes, "The iris was the first to die, / enshrouded in its sickly-sweet / and lingering perfume." Although this may not be considered personification because flowers can go through life phases, it seems pretty close to describing the women in the relationship, using the word "perfume" to show how she was the one that went from being sweet and kind to distant and angry. Gioia ends the poem with "The room smells like a funeral, / but they're they sit, too much at home, / accusing us of some small crime, / like love forgotten, and we can't / throw out a gift we've never owned." At the end of the day, the relationship falls apart because of lingering questions, and the metaphor continues with the final line, as they cannot dismiss the notion of an affair or deception because no truth has been brought to light. Gioia accomplishes her mission of illustrating the issues of paranoia through metaphor and the flower's timely shriveling into oblivion.

"Fault" by Ron Koertge

Ron Koertge sets a humorous tone in "Fault," as he uses generalizations and hyperbole to show how the sentiment of a mother's love and care for her child will always persist, even if it is not fully warranted. Koertge's teenage character begins by assuring his mother that all will be well, generalizing and criticizing the archetypal movie structure where the world opens up. He generalizes the characters to carry on the humorous tone even in a sad, departing situation, showing that the worry is unnecessary and all will be fine. The characters and situation are hyperbolized, as Koertge's character must retain the calm and joke along with overt details to illustrate the situation's serenity. The characters are shown as "Dr. Cutie Bug" and a "a pilot who's good looking but not smart enough to take off his leather jacket in the jungle," and they hyperbolically survive the earthquake because they love their mother back and call her once in a while. Koertge uses hyperbole and generalization in the story with such a manner to show that all will be well, and the mother need not worry for the teen's adventure because life is not as generic or hyperbolic as his movie scenario.

"In the Well" by Andrew Hudgins

Andrew Hudgins uses an anxious, relaxed and fearful tone in his poem "In the Well." He employs antanaclasis to transition from darkness to light and show how difficult situations always have a way out. He accomplishes this through repeating "then," allowing himself to build upon his previous narrative to finally "[rise] up to [his] father." He starts by entering the well, writing that it "tasted first / of dark, then earth, then rot." He plunges into the darkness in fear, and experiences the difficulties of being underground. He experiences pain in the poem, and then hits his head, "and at that moment got / another then: then blood." His plight continues with his father "[dropping him] from then to then: / then water. Then wet fur." The poem climaxes with the situation solved, yet tragically, the dog is found deceased. However, Hudgins continues after finding the canine: "Then light. Then hands. Then breath." By repetitively utilizing the phrase "then," He shows how the darkest of times will eventually result in relief, as a young Hudgins finally exits the well with his task behind him.

"The Modern Prometheus" by JJ Kampf

JJ Kampf, in his poem "The Modern Prometheus," masterfully presents an empowered tone, alternating perspectives and simile to exemplify the power of rebellion and the allusion of Prometheus' fiery gifts to civilians. Kampf shifts back to hours before the current narrative through italics, as non-italicized segments present the events happening at a local residence. He lays the framework of children out of bed in one perspective, as "They laugh, they play, they cry." On the other hand, the parents had warned the babysitter that the kids should wear "Bedtime clothes right away, and no TV for either of them." Johnny is shown to be the modern Prometheus, as he gives the light to the children that the parents took away, or rather their rights, which is perfectly contrasted to the non-italics illustrating the parents commands. Simile is also well used, as Kampf utilizes the device to convey the extent of the children's rebellion: "Hard sour chews dangle from their mouths / like gymnasts hang from wide beams." The children are shown to be ultra-rebellious, as just like gymnasts extend themselves as far as possible, so do the children in their rebellion. Kampf beautifully writes of a modern, crafty Prometheus through his amazing allusions and deft devices.

"She Didn't Mean to Do It" by Daisy Fried

Daisy Fried discreetly brings the plight of temptation into light through the use of repetition and parallel structure and an admonishing tone. Fried seeks to admonish perpetual temptation and a lack of control over one's actions by illustrating a woman who insubstantially regrets her actions. Fried illustrates her beliefs through her literary devices, as she begins "Oh, she was sad, oh, she was sad." She seeks to overemphasize the woman's regret, as she again paints the picture of a woman regretful of her past actions. Fried makes it seem as though the woman is self-chastising, as she repeats her dismissal of "certain thrills" through the use of parallel structure. Fried returns repetition at the end by repeating how "sad, sad" she is, although this is likely for naught, as she must continuously mention how she did not mean to do it. Her overemphasis conveys a lackluster apology, as although she may not have meant to do it, she will likely do it again.

Driving to Town to Mail a Letter by Robert Bly

Robert Bly utilizes a complacent tone in "Driving to Town to Mail a Letter" along with imagery to nostalgically reminisce over comfortable and solitary times. Bly transitions through this theme by painting the picture and feelings of a snowy night. He thoughtfully mentions the "cold iron" and the "swirls of snow." He appreciates how "The main street is deserted." Bly feels a complete sense of warmth through the opposite warm imagery, as he finally says that he will happily waste more time driving around the neighborhood. His sense of individuality is expressed, and his personal time gives him an outlet to appreciate his surroundings and life. Through cold imagery and conveying warm feelings, Bly illustrates his complacency and love of life.

The Meadow by Kate Knapp Johnson

"The Meadow" dives straight into Kate Knapp Johnson's existential crisis, as she understands that time takes no prisoners, even her beloved meadow. She utilities imagery, rhetorical questions and a depressed, longing tone to convey her thoughts. Johnson describes the meadow as having undergone "two inches of snow fallen" in just half a day. Her imagery exemplifies how she feels regarding the meadow; it has now changed, and her feeling of intimacy with the environment is lost. She rhetorically asks, "how long was I out looking / for you?" She longs for normal days with the meadow, mentioning how it "would never leave me, my withness, my here." She no longer feels a strong connection, as time has made the meadow unrecognizable in Johnson eyes, as time tends to do.

Publication Date by Franz Wright

Franz Wright's "Publication Date" emphasizes the stress in putting oneself out in the public eye through antithesis, using an apprehensive yet cheerful tone. He often contrasts cheery and saddening words. He mentions that the day his book comes out is "National I Hate Myself and Want to Die Day" and the next day, where he will love his life. He brings in examples to show how the days will be the exact same naturally, but different at heart: "They say tomorrow will be just like today, but different." Nothing will have changed except his reputation amongst book readers. Those who love his book are also contrasted with others, as he hopes his book is "in the hands of a kind-hearted / intelligent person somewhere." This is shown against nature, in the image of a sparrow, who ultimately drives home the point that regardless of how things go, life will continue on, as Wright shows the stress will ultimately fadeaway and the world will keep turning.

Modern Prometheus Poetry

Silent–In the Light,

The speaker emits its common cries.

He stands up from his cyan chair uncomfortable, unhappily unified,

Today, he will rise.

Silent-In the Light,

Thoughts abound on defying the fools,

How to build upon his brethren's rights?

His mind is set against the unruly rules.

Silent-In the dark,

For the fluorescent light above has now been taken away,

He tries and tries to make his mark.

But today he'll stand suppressed, feelings kept at bay.

Empowered-In the Dark,

He rises up to get back on the ground,

Today he's sure in ultimate stark, 

Colin stands by sitting down.

"Poetry" by Don Paterson

Don Paterson exercises a pleading tone in "Poetry," as he remarks of the importance of free literature and poetry, unobstructed by forced verses or thoughts not purely original. He does so by using simile in the midst of a metaphor. Paterson contrasts pure and forced poetry. When describing non-flowing and unnatural verse, he likens its voice to: "a bar room's singer – boastful / with his own huge feeling, drowned by violins." Unnatural poetry does not sit well with the reader and is weaker than literature written normally off the tip of the pen, unencumbered by deadlines or rushing. Poetry that is pure and worthwhile is "like a mountain spring, anonymous and serene." Extending this simile, the last lines speak of the spring's water, as it "sings of nothing." It is not owned by any one person, but rather simply conveys ideas and human experience. Paterson delivers this message of the necessity of natural poetry through his similes and metaphor, as he signifies the importance of allowing words to flow through the writer.

"American Cheese" by Jim Daniels

Jim Daniels uses a nostalgic tone in his poem "American Cheese," proving the importance of staying grounded and connected to one's past. He uses imagery of various cheeses and extended metaphor to bring this idea to life. Daniels begins that today, he eats "cheeses / my parents never heard of–gooey / pale cheeses speaking garbled tongues." He paints this picture of foreign cheese to show that later in life, he has great opportunity and ability. He has allowed himself to "[acquire] a taste" for nuance and originality, despite this being different than his past. Daniels pictures his past house to be "built like a square of sixty-four / American singles," each piece requiring "[digging nails] in to separate them." Although he appreciates his current life, he can never forget his roots, writing, "I crave–more than any home / cooking–those thin slices in the fridge." Daniels refuses to let the present and delicacies of his new lifestyle hinder him from remembering his past, as he uses metaphor and imagery to convey this important practice.

"Remora, Remora" by Thomas Lux

Thomas Lux deploys a disappointed and disapproving tone in "Remora, Remora," complaining about social immobility and severe reliance on individuals higher up in the social scene. Lux utilizes metaphor and syndeton to further this message. He builds on an extended metaphor throughout the poem, as he compares the remora fish to a common individual in modern society, reliant upon government and powerful lawmakers and businessman to push the tide of the world. Lux's syndeton constructs this message, as seemingly-infinite conjunctions build this metaphorical hierarchy of aquatic social structure: "and feeding off its crumbs...and on top of that one...until on top of that." The extended metaphor becomes increasingly evident; a common person "rides along in the blue current," waiting for higher-ups to make a move and control their lives. Lux calls for an end to this reliance and greater power to the people, as he uses syndeton and an extended metaphor to hammer in this message of a social hierarchy that needs to be taken down.

"Wheels" by Jim Daniels

Jim Daniels, in his poem "Wheels," believes that life flies by quickly and, if not appreciated, will go by the wayside. He exercises a regretful, sorrowful tone along with asyndeton and repetitive imagery to convince the reader of this pervasive belief. He begins by iterating the imagery of his brother's wall, skipping conjunctions to add this repetitive, endless effect: "every motorcycle, car, truck." Further on, Daniels neglects to add conjunctions (or proper syntax) between lines to achieve a timeless element to the poem that shows how quickly life goes by. He also repeats "waving" every three lines in order to convey a changing picture and life, but without having time pass on. Finally, his brother is "waving waving," as there is "no camera to save him" from his destiny as a forgotten individual with a life completed. Daniels utilizes asyndeton and repetitive imagery to have the images of his brother's life change but time to continue on mercilessly, as he proves that life can go by without anyone being there to capture it, for sometimes it is necessary to simply take a second to snap a picture.

"Farewell" by Edward Field

In Edward Field's "Farewell," stanza breaks and extended metaphor are used with an anxious and cold tone to illustrate the issues of trust and what mistrust can cause. Field uses the metaphor of an individual cluelessly venturing into an icy ocean, knowing that he will not survive but trusting nonetheless. There is a paragraph break after "stepping out on it," as Field realizes that his trust was misplaced, but now he has no option to go back. He is forced to "carry on cooly," continuing in a calm manner because he has gone in too deep. The metaphor continues with the use of a "captain's helmet," representing the incredible leadership he requires to continue on to his metaphorical death without breaking a sweat. He waves goodbye to his loved ones, showing just how much inconvenience this mistrust has caused. The "ice meets again over [his] head with a click," as Field's fate is determined and he has now suffered. The metaphor and the break help Field show how the mistrust occurs and how it can be used for negative aspects that serve only to hurt.

"The Partial Explanation" by Charles Simic

Charles Simic uses an impatient and depressed tone with imagery and repetition to emphasize that silence and nothingness causes sadness and individuals to be impatient in misery. Simic repeats "seems" in "Seems like a long time... / Seems like it has grown darker," to show that the subject has began to count the seconds until the order comes, with boredom overtaking them. Simic brings in a "glass of ice water" to show that this is all that keeps him company. He now feels lonely in the absence of company and a melting glass of ice. The common feeling of a winter's day is also presented, as the "snow falling outside" casts a gloomy feeling into the luncheonette. There is a "longing / An incredible longing" by Simic to be involved with the conversation of cooks, as the author uses repetition to illustrate the seemingly infinite lack of company. Simic searches for a friend between these lines and now grows more and more impatient as time passes, which becomes evident with the use of repetive phrases and gloomy imagery.

"The Bat" by Theodore Roethke

"The Bat" conveys a fearful and foreshadowing tone while Theodore Roethke uses metaphor to compare "The Bat" to individuals unmet and experiences unencountered. At the forefront of the poem, the analogy seems calm, as "By day the bat is cousin to the mouse. / He likes the attic of an aging house." This illustrates that at times, the bat can be a motionless image, one that causes no harm to one who sees it. The next few sentences demonstrate the different personalities of the bat, as it is seen to both "[loop] in crazy figures" and "make a hat above his head." Like the unknown, the bat takes on several personalities and ideas, but it most often takes on the appearance of the last stanza: "something is amiss or out of place / When mice with wings can wear a human face." Here, the metaphor is explained to the reader, as this fearful picture of a human mouse shows that humans not yet seen in life take on this foreshadowed image of a fearsome mouse, with their intentions unknown. In lies Roethke's thesis, as he uses metaphor to illustrate that it is unclear what life has in store for every individual, but it will likely at first seem scary until "The Bat" is shown in its light.

"The Poet" by Tom Wayman

Tom Wayman sarcastically and empoweringly uses generalized catalogs and improper grammar to explain that all poets experience issues in their craft. The poem's lines dismiss correct syntax in favor of mocking the perceived faults of a writer, with faux humor abound: "Does not understand what he reads / Does not understand what he hears." These consistent images of a dense person serve to illustrate, in an antithetical manner, how a poet can have a multitude of cognitive flaws but still succeed in their artistry. Wayman seeks to exemplify that no poet is perfect, writing in odd diction and grammar, "Has great difficulty interpreting proverbs." This line, in particular, stands out, as theoretically, the assumption exists that the greatest of poets have limited trouble discerning the message of difficult works. Tom Wayman destroys this misconception in one fell swoop, using parallel syntax in his catalogs to show that poets should push through in their works and not fall by the wayside simply because of errors in the learning process.

"At the Un-National Monument Along the Canadian Border" by William E. Stafford

The Canadian border's intricacies and simplicities are illuminated in William E. Stafford's "At the Un-National Monument Along the Canadian Border" by irony and a disappointed but hopeful attitude. Stafford begins by painting an antithetical portrait of a general battlefield, one that the reader anticipates to be haunted and filled with gore. Yet the picture illustrated is serene, making it ironic and unexpected by the reader. The field is "where the battle did not happen / where the unknown soldier did not die." Rather, the border is peaceful, unlike others such as the Russian-Ukranian borders. Stafford is a pacifist, as he enjoys the peaceful borders and hopes for others to be similar in nature. He appreciates that there is no hero of the battlefield, but rather just a sky and a field celebrated by not being named. Stafford's use of irony shows how the beauty in calmness and how that should be appreciated more than war and bloodshed.

“Do You Have Any Advice For Those of Us Just Starting Out?" by Ron Koertge

Ron Koertge cleverly invokes a sarcastic yet focused tone to instantiate the steps for the reader to take control of their life with the help of an extended metaphor in his poem "Do You Have Any Advice For Those of Us Just Starting Out?" After pointing the reader to a library, Koertge paints a child fooling around as an individual refusing to live along the commonalities of society. This falls in line with the rejection of places where there are "more than three people wearing turtlenecks." Instead of living like all others – reading books and playing tennis in a muffled setting, as Koertge maintains – it is best for the advice seeker to, like the child, dismiss the reactions of onlookers. Instead, do the enjoyable and individualistic act. This method is unusual and does not fit in, but rather is best for the one doing so, as it will place the individual away from the crowd and helped the seeker of advice advance. Although this may cause others to frown, Koertge shows it is best for the one who takes action and should be repeated to fully set the individual apart from their peers.

"Sidekicks" by Ronald Koertge

Ronald Koertge's "Sidekicks" utilizes an empowered and concerned tone along with comparison to signify that the idea of a sidekick exists in all individuals regardless of age or status. He starts by generalizing each sidekick into one category of being eager to help and having certain faults, then by showing how they are willing to take the blow for their hero. He next moves on by comparing each sidekick to a part of each individual in society. His main point is in the final stanza, as he says sidekicks "sit in a darkened theatre," showing that the real sidekick is in the audience, as we all have certain faults and a desire to help the common cause without taking the lead. Everyone in society wants to be the hero, but each person has faults and instead has to sit on the sideline. His use of comparison shows that while everyone wants to be a hero, they can sit on the sideline, but like certain sidekicks, they have the power to later step in and take the reins themselves.

“Fight” by Laurel Blossom

In "Fight," Laurel Blossom brings her words to life with an emphatic and passionate tone as she utilizes antithesis to exemplify her constant desire to take the world head on at full speed. She begins with a seemingly curious line "That is the difference between me and you." At first glance, the bar looks out of place, but here, it actually incorporates the word "fight," as the matter that sets apart the average individual, or "you," is "fight." Blossom characterizes herself in the poem as a fighter, one that "[puts] down the top as soon as [she arrives]." Unlike the average individual, she takes risks wherever she goes and is unafraid to stand out of the crowd. Her most important line states "I'm freezing but at least I'm alive;" she refuses to conform, and although this may at times be uncomfortable, she does not accept the status quo and want to live a boring, albeit comfortable, life. She uses antithesis to contrast the two characters, herself and the average reader, fully emphasizing her passion for living on the edge. She strongly cares about this distinction, as that is what makes her interested in fighting in the first place.