In Rita Dove’s poem, Sonnet in Primary Colors she uses imagery to describe Frida. We first notice the use of visual imagery within the title of the poem. Primary colors are the colors that form the basis of all the others. They can not be mixed or formed by any combination of other colors, and usually include red, blue, and yellow. Rita Dove uses “primary colors” when talking about Frida Kahlo because her paintings were very unique in style. She painted brutally honest self-portraits that revealed her emotions, while incorporating Mexican culture and politics. This art became the standard that all other artists tried to replicate. She became the original artist of realism and all other artists were merely followers. Another example of imagery is the line, “lovely Frida, erect among parrots, in the stern petticoats of the peasant,/ who painted herself a present” (2-3). In this line Rita is comparing Frida’s art to other women painters (peasants). We can see that Frida stands out because of the use of kinesthetic imagery when Rita refers to her as being erect or standing tall. This tells us that she is more superior than the other peasants. Rita also uses visual imagery when describing Frida’s clothes compared to the other women’s. The peasant's clothes are seen as very serious and lack creativity and beauty, no matter how hard they try to create something different, while Frida’s are whimsical with the wildflowers that are incorporated. This shows that her appearance was natural and involved very minimal effort. In conclusion, Rita Dove uses imagery to tell the reader that Frida Kahlo was a beautiful woman because of her unique style of painting.
In Rita Dove’s poem, Nestor’s bathtub is focused on how Nestor is remembered as this greek warrior but “the legend got it all wrong” Rita Dove expressing that really Nestor's wife is the one who was in the home but whom no one remembers and is forgotten as so many women are. Rita Dove uses imagery to describe the wife of Nestor’s situation. With the use of tactile, kinesthetic and olfactory imagery writes “was to the one to crouch under jug upon jug of fragrant water poured unto the small room steamed” (3-5) Meaning that Nestor's wife is seen as this materialistic woman that has the lavishings that others don’t. Though that is not the case at all as the poem continues and Rita Dove explains what the legends don’t say. Using visual and kinesthetic imagery writing in the first stanza “while his wife with her white hands scraped the dirt from a lover’s back with a bronze scalpel?” (11-13) Describing that Nestor's wife of course had a lover and using a beautiful scalpel again coming back to the riches she had which is only how she was perceived. The third stanza using visual imagery writes “oil spreading in flames to the lady’s throne” (24-25) Considering that as their home burned to the ground Nestor's wife burned with it to be forgotten.
In the poem Canary, by Rita Dove, she reflects on the life of Billie Holiday and finds a way to summarize her dark and struggle filled life in just a few lines. She starts off the poem with, “Billie Holiday’s burned voice” (1). Dove uses the word “burned” in reference Holiday’s voice towards the end of the career. After a lifetime of abuse from alcohol, drugs, and singing, it became worn out. She then continues with tactile imagery, describing a “sleek piano” and then comparing it to a “ruined face”. This of course is Holiday’s face, giving it texture and adding to the worn out description of the woman. The next stanza brings the reader into the stage of Holiday’s life where she begins using drugs. This stanza is enclosed in parenthesis, separating it from the rest of the poem, and essentially, her life. This is because this stage has the greatest impact on her life and leads to a downward spiral. Dove writes, “Now you’re cooking, drummer to bass, magic spoon, magic needle” (5-6). These lines reference her use of heroin and also reflect upon the darker stages of her life. Around this time in her life, she begins to feel weak and overwhelmed by all aspects of her life. This could be from her introduction into the media by producer John Hammond. He brought her into the spotlight, where she performed and recorded until she physically and mentally broke down. This brought her into the last stage of her life, where she abused drugs and was disrespected by men. She no longer felt free, she felt trapped in the endless stream of media and felt worthless. This is shown in the last line of the poem, where Dove writes, “If you can’t be free, be a mystery” (11).
My ideas on this poem is very similar to yours. For example, I thought that when Rita Dove compared the “sleek piano” to Billie Holiday’s “ruined face”, she was comparing the toll that the drugs were taking on her body. However, I also thought that when Rita mentioned the “sleek piano” and “gardenia” she was comparing superficial beauty to realistic beauty because the piano and flower are beautiful but nothing can mask the effects that life has on your image. I also had the same idea that the line, “now you’re cooking, drummer to bass,/ magic spoon, magic needle” (5-6), was a reference to her drug abuse and that by it being in parentheses shows that it’s apart of her private life and is not as important compared to her fame.
In Riva Dove’s poem, “Canary”, contrast is used to emphasize the dark life that Billie Holiday live. Billie Holiday's various struggles in life aren't often spoken or known “Billie Holiday’s burned voice has as many shadows as lights”(Dove, 1-2). The first line alludes to Holiday losing her voice, due to drug addiction, while the second creates contrast with the use of light and shadows. The contrast between dark and light and dark alludes to how despite being a popular jazz singer Holiday suffered throughout her entire life. Even in the height of her popularity Billie Holiday suffered abuse and addiction to drugs “the gardenia her signature under that ruined face”(4). Dove signifies that Holiday’s signature gardenia flower, something viewed as beautiful, contrasts which her ruined faced, affected by both physical abuse but the negative effects of drugs such as heroin, which Holiday frequently abused, had on a her outward appearance. Another contrast which is present is how the gardenia, worn atop her, was under her face instead. Holiday's face which had become altered by constant drug abuse could no longer be hidden by the beautiful gardenia eventually eclipsing it while still being under it. Rita Dove’s use of contrast signified Billie Holiday's various struggles in life and how they contrasted with her career.
Rita Dove poetry blog #1 In the sonnet ‘sonnet in primary colors’, the narrator describes a women named Frita. Frita is described as a beautiful woman, looking lovely in a stern petticoat. The narrator uses imagery to describe the woman when it says “erect among parrots”, letting the reader know the extent of which she stands out. Parrots are incredibly colorful creatures, very different from most animals, and the peasants in her paintings make her seem far more beautiful than others, much like comparing parrots to boring animals. To accentuate her beauty, the sonnet highlights her clothing. “.. who painted herself a present—wildflowers entwining the plaster corset..” indicating that she wore beautiful clothing that brought out her beauty through their natural forms. Similes are also used when it says “..the hundred dogs panting like children along the graveled..” right after mentioning Karl Marx, Lenin, and Stalin. All of them had followers, so it seems as if she’s using the dogs and children to symbolize mindless followers that are easily distracted by surroundings, where the surroundings are Fritas paintings. -Stephan Kaidan 10/29/15
My idea is similar to your idea of the author using imagery in order to describe how Frida stood out compared to other artists. For example I thought that when Rita described her as being “erect”, she was saying how Frida is more superior compared to the other artists (peasants). Another idea that I had that is similar to yours, is the use of imagery through describing how beautiful her clothing is. For example, I said that her clothing is seen as more creative and natural compared to those of the peasants, which we both came to the conclusion of.
“Sonnet in Primary Colors”, by Rita Dove, conveys the intense pain felt by the subject, Frida Kahlo, in contrast with her beauty. The poem references several of Kahlo’s self portraits, in which she is known for including personal imagery of symbols apparent within her own life and Mexican culture. Dove’s use of visual imagery is seen immediately in line one when the narrator describes Kahlo as “the woman with one black wing perched over her eyes”. Referring to Frida’s iconic broad eyebrows, Dove compares the former to a bird; a repeated symbol of beauty in the poem. In line three where Dove writes “erect among parrots, in the stern petticoats of the peasant” the reader again sees another allusion to a bird. This one in particular references Kahlo’s liking to painting herself amongst parrots in her self portraits; a pattern of pictorial language which signified Kahlo’s work. Throughout the entire poem, Dove uses elaborate diction to convey the sheer greatness of Kahlo’s beauty, but includes negative connotations hidden amongst the imagery, creating several antitheses of beauty and pain. In line three, Dove contrasts the word “stern” amongst the positive visual imagery. In line six, Frida’s “spine resides in the romance of mirrors”. The imagery associated with a bare human skeleton--a spine--is contrasted against the delicate idea of a “romance of mirrors”. At line eight, the poem takes a sharp turn from predominantly positive connotations to the negative. Dove is able to do this though using sharper, harsher alliteration seen in line eight with “butterflies of her Beloved Dead” and in line 11 with “the graveled walks of the garden”. The strong “b” and “g” sounds have a disparity from the soft “s” and “p” sounds used frequently in the first half of the poem. Dove’s use of visual imagery, antithesis, and contrasting forms of alliteration allow the viewer to see the truth behind Kahlo’s beauty. The viewer understands that in Kahlo’s eyes, her pain must accompany her beauty; one cannot be without the other. Near the end of the poem, Dove almost leaves the reader questioning whether Kahlo’s lover, Diego Rivera, is a part of her beauty or her pain. Perhaps that is a part of the mystery behind Kahlo’s pictorial symbolism in her paintings. Nonetheless, Dove allows the viewer to understand that while Frida Kahlo’s beauty is breathtaking, her pain still exists.
In the poem, “David Walker”, Rita writes about a less-than-famous abolitionist named David Walker. She starts out saying that he was, “free to travel, he still couldn’t be shown how lucky/ he was” (1-2). I think that there is a hint of satire in this line because Rita is making fun of the fact that Walker was born free and educated, yet he doesn’t appreciate that he has all those things. However, I also think that this line could be being said from a white person’s point of view because David was able to walk free. A white person might feel that he should be grateful that he has that privilege and Walker should not be trying to advocate for more rights. Another aspect of the poem that I looked into was the italicized portions. I think that it’s obvious that they are excerpts from the pamphlets that he wrote and by integrating them into the poem, Rita is able to show the emotions that David Walker feels. In lines 9-15 Rita describes the methods that Walker used in order to get his message around the community. He used black sailors to smuggle his pamphlets to parts of the South. Later, these pamphlets were discovered and led to an uproar within the legislature. In lines 18-19, we see the abolitionist speaker part of Walker’s struggles. Rita writes, “the jewelled canaries in the lecture halls tittered,/ pressed his dark hand between their gloves”. The “jewelled canaries” refers to the rich, white audience that would listen to his speeches and laugh because he was asking them to abolish slavery. In this line Rita uses visual imagery to show the contrast between David Walker and the white people’s lives. During this time period, both men and women wore gloves to evening entertainments. The white gloves represent the rich and his ungloved hands represent the fact that his kind were considered very low members of society. Lastly, the part of the line of the poem that I thought was the most interesting was “every half-step was no step at all” (20). I think that this could mean that even though David is free that that freedom does not keep him from being concerned about the status of his people. It could also be that the compass, referred to in line 5-6 could have been a better help than a pamphlet to a slave that can’t read.
In the poem the “The House Slave,” by Rita Dove shows the divide between the slaves and their masters. In the perspective of a house slave the poem starts in the morning as slaves are awakened by horns to begin their work for the day. The first simile used “I watch them driven into the vague before-dawn/ while their mistress sleeps like an ivory toothpick/ and Massa dreams...”(5-7). This line shows that the mistress is sleeping well and lavishly by the use of “ivory” while the slaves are working without and “Massa” referring to the master who has the ability to dream while all the field slaves lives are consumed by their work. In the third stanza Rita Dove uses kinesthetic imagery with the line “the whip curls across the backs of the laggards” (9) “Laggards” being those who work slowly and could not keep up with the pace of labor. The second simile used in the poem is in the fifth stanza “...and as the fields unfold to witness,/and they spill like bees among the fat flowers,”(13-14) I think by the use of the word “bee” Rita Dove is implying that the slaves work so hard as bees do, picking the cotton as bees pollinate the plants around them. Picking a immense amount of cotton although never being able to reap anything from their work How when humans take honey from a hive the same is happening in the situation of the slaves working in the fields.
I agree with your interpretation of Dove using "The House Slave" to portray the divide between the slaves and their masters. Something else to supplement your interpretation is Dove's use of paradox and contrasting ideas/statements. In stanza two, Dove contrasts the mistress sleeping "like an ivory toothpick" (6) to the slaves who have already grabbed water gourds, taken a breakfast, and being driven into the fields to work. In stanza three, Dove contrasts the "Massa" dreaming of the riches that come with owning slaves, to the fact that the narrator cannot fall asleep in the first place. Notice that by this time in the poem, the first and second horns have already been blown, while the mistress and master are still fast asleep. In stanza four, Dove uses a contrasting statement of "shivering in the early heat" (12) to show the narrator's fear of the day; shivering representing fear, and heat representing the turmoil the day brings.
I really enjoy and agree with your analysis of the porm. To expand on your analysis of the line "while their mistress sleeps like an ivory toothpick"(Dove, 5). Ivory is gain by poaching elephants for the tusks and is quite expensive, which ivory toothpicks being sold in the thousands, and is seen is very beautiful . The mistress like the toothpick, high value is gained through the expense of something else, for the toothpick the elephant and the mistress the slaves that work for her.
My idea of this poem is similar to yours. For example, I thought that the poem was reflecting on the everyday lifestyle of house slaves. However, I do think that the main focus of the poem was more on the life of the slaves rather than the master because the poem only references the master in lines 5-7 and then it goes back to the slaves. I also thought that the simile, “they spill like bees among the fat flowers” (14) was referring to how the slaves go from one flower to the other when they are picking, much like bees do when pollinating. On the other hand, I like how you connected the fact that the mistress is sleeping lavishly by using the word “ivory”.
In Rita Dove's “David Walker (1785-1830) it intrigued me that Rita chose to include the year after the name, seeing as she hasn't done that to many poems. It seems as if she is trying to make it clear to the reader of the timeframe in which slavery was at its largest, and David's significance during that time. When Rita describes the shop “All day at the counter - /white caps, ale-stained peacoats. Compass needles, / eloquent as tuning forks, shivered, pointing north“ North being mentioned to signify where slavery was later to be abolished. So to summarize, David Walker was an american anti-slavery activist who published pamphlets against slavery. Rita Dove uses lots of visual imagery to explain the struggles David went through.
In the poem “The Abduction”, by Rita Dove, she describes a man named Harrison and his dream of being free. The poem is over exaggerated with nearly impossible achievements for the man at that time, which puts emphasis on this dream of his. Dove refers to the man as “the great Harrison”, automatically making him superior to the other citizens. She also uses the term “pigs” when referring to the crowd of people watching him walk down the avenue. This proves to the reader that Harrison has a past with the citizens, maybe meaning that his owner has mistreated him, explaining his hatred towards slave owners or white people in general. In his dream, he pictures these citizens as if they are lower than him. This expands his dream of freedom and shows the reader his ultimate goal. Dove then uses the simile, “Then the wine, like a pink lake, tipped. I was lifted-the sky swiveled, clicked into place” (11-12). Wine represents luxury, wealth, and freedom in this situation. The tipping of this liquid resembles Harrison’s dreams and how they come crashing down as he wakes up. Dove writes, “I floated on water I could not drink. Though the pillow was stone, I climbed no ladders in that sleep” (13-14). He realizes that this will likely never come true and that it is nothing but a dream. This is where the poem shifts and quickly returns to reality where Harrison lives the dark and limited life of a slave.
In Rita Dove’s poem, “The Abduction”, the identity of a free man, Solomon Northrup, is explored through Dove’s account of his abduction into slavery in the eyes of Northrup himself. In the first stanza, the reader gets a sense of what Northrup’s life before slavery was like with a generally positive mood. In lines 4-5, Dove uses visual imagery to describe Northrup’s “free papers in [his] pocket, violin under arm, [his] new friends Brown and Hamilton by [his] side” (4-5 Dove). In those two lines, the reader is swayed towards a happier mood by visualizing free papers, a treasure during this time period, a musical instrument, and new friends. However, it is in stanza two that the mood develops negative undertones beneath the positive. It begins with the question, “Why should I have doubted them?” (6), to imply that Northrup’s “new friends” have betrayed him. It’s in lines 7-9 that Northrup elaborates on the clever, dishonest nature of Brown and Hamilton. Their compellingly nice nature persuaded Northrup into trusting them with the way “Brown’s tall hat collected pennies at the tent flap, Hamilton’s feet did a jig on the tightrope...and [Northrup] fiddled” (7-9). In the third and fourth stanza, Dove’s use of kinesthetic and auditory imagery create a psychedelic experience for the reader. Through this, the reader can infer that some type of drug was slipped into Northrup’s drink so that “the wine, like a pink lake, tipped” (11) In these two stanzas, the mood has once again changed to a slightly more negative one. In the fifth and final stanza, the mood has now evolved into a completely dark, and negative one, symbolizing Solomon Northrup’s descent into slavery at the hands of Brown and Hamilton. Dove uses visual imagery to portray Northrup’s new existence “alone, in darkness and in chains” (15).
In Rita Dove poem, “Belinda’s Petition”, Rita Dove describes the hypocrisy that is institutionalized slavery through the allusion of the petition made by Belinda in Massachusetts of 1783.The speaker in this poem is Belinda. Belinda uses the American’s Declaration of Independence as a parallel to the plight of slavery “Lately your Countrymen had severed/ the Binds of Tyranny. I would hope/ you would consider the same for me,/ pure Air being the sole Advantage/ of which I can boast my present Condition”( Dove, 8-12). While the United States has freed themselves from what they believed to be oppression they continue to subjugate slaves. The U.S hypocritically separates from England yet maintains the use of forced human labor. Belinda also takes advantage of the fact that she is supposedly ignorant “all my childhood I had expected nothing, if that be Ignorance./ The only Travelers were the Dead who returned/ from the Ridge each Evening. How might/ I have known of Men with like the Moon”(16-19). Belinda is believed to be ignorant she has no prior to the white peoples who abduct her. She also demonstrates knowledge of U.S History while U.S citizens often had zero empathy for the slaves proving the lack of interest or knowledge of slaves. The US government hypocritically claimed slaves were ignorant without understand, interest, or general knowledge of the slaves prior lives or thoughts while serving under institutionalized slavery.
In Rita Dove’s “Lady Freedom Among Us”, she writes about the statue of the women that is on top of the Congress building in Washington D.C. The poem was written about when the statue was taken down for remodeling after the 200th anniversary of the laying down of the U.S. capitol. In this poem I think that Rita Dove is exploring the paradoxes of the idea of freedom and what is actually happening in the country. In the first stanza, Rita uses repetition of the words, “your” in order to emphasis that we’ve become so focused on our own lives that we pass by the homeless on the streets and we walk stiffly ahead and that we end up missing the freedom altogether. In this poem I believe that Lady Freedom represents the homeless or the lower class because of the visual imagery Dove uses in describing her appearance. She describes her as having, “oldfashioned sandals”, “leaden skirts”, and “stained cheeks” (8-10), showing that she is poor and blends in with the world around her. Due to her appearance, people forget that she is even there, thus forgetting the freedom that this country once took so much pride in. However, in the eighth stanza, Rita Dove calls for a reevaluation of what this statute means to the country. She describes Lady Freedom as a “big boned resolute” (25) because the statue has endured so much change over the years. This statute has “assumed the thick skin of this town/ its gritted exhaust its sunscorch and blear” (22-23) and she wants us to do the same. She wants the people living here to not give up on this country even when it’s going downhill, just as she has. I think that the overriding message in this poem is that Lady Freedom is not just this statue but this troubling voice in all of our minds telling us to take a look around and see that this freedom is not going anywhere.
I agree with your insight that Lady Freedom represents a poorer yet stronger person, but I think that the statue also symbolizes the struggle and hopeful redemption of freedom as a whole during this time period. I think that with this poem, Dove was exploring the true meanings of freedom in America, and the interpretations of what it meant to be free during the civil rights movement. In the last two lines of the ninth stanza, Dove writes "for she is one of the many and she is each of us" (31-32 Dove) to establish that although freedom has been seemingly trampled, as mentioned earlier in stanzas three through seven, freedom will triumph.
Rita Dove's “The Situation Is Intolerable” was part of a collection labeled “On The Bus With Rosa Parks”, so I expected themes of racism, appearance, and class. It seemed as if the poem was written from the point of an african american during the time of the civil rights movement and segregation. The first two stanzas seemed connected in that they depict a like group of people. They are portrayed as uncivilized, but this is not true at all. The third and final stanza describes their battle with poverty and the struggles they go through. Lots of imagery was used that brought me to my analysis. The poem could be interpreted as being written for african americans but many other groups in the us were going through similar experience at this time in the United States. -Stephan Kaidan 11/4/2015
The poem “Claudette Colvin Goes to Work” by Rita Dove, explores the prejudice held against people of color during the civil rights movement. Similar to the poems in the Slavery section, Dove creates a stark difference between the lives of white people and people of color; predominantly in the actions of their everyday lives. In the first stanza, Dove creates a dark and curious scene; setting an equally dark mood. Using diction to establish visual imagery, the reader can envision how the “Menial twilight sweeps the storefronts along Lexington as the shadows arrive to take their places among the scourge of the earth...lightbulbs coming on in each narrow residence, the golden wattage of bleak interiors announcing Anyone home? or I’m beat, bring me a beer” (1-5 Dove). Through using such intense imagery, the reader can establish a connection with the narrator by first understanding the world in which Claudette Colvin will go to work in. Dove also uses emotional and kinesthetic imagery to develop Colvin. In the second stanza, the reader is taken into presumably what is her [Colvin’s] home. Dove’s use of metaphor to further the visual imagery is seen in lines 11-13 with “one drop of sweat is all it would take to dissolve an armchair pillow into brocade residue” (11-13). In stanzas four and five, Dove shows to the reader, how racism, classism, and racial divisions dictated how Colvin’s life would play out. In line 28 of stanza four, the reader sees how when Colvin was a young girl she “wrote in class she was going to be President”, but is contrasted with the reality of life in this era when the reader proceeds to understand that instead, Colvin works menial hospitality tasks where even then she is disregarded due to prejudice. The poem ends on an ambiguously bleak tone; symbolizing the lack of hope felt by Colvin, and the lack of opportunities her darker color afforded her.
In the poem “Climbing In” by Rita Dove, she carefully picked every word in this poem to communicate to the reader the severity of the overpowering control of the government and others of high importance. She often uses words like metal or silver, these substances were both extremely valuable around the time that this poem was written. They symbolize power and wealth. Assuming this poem is written from the perspective of a lower class citizen, all factors of wealth she includes are to show how corrupt the world around them is. Dove uses the entire poem to compare the government and officials to a token game. She writes, “Pay to keep him smiling/as the bright lady tumbles/head over tail/down the clinking gullet” (13-16). This refers to tokens feeding this addicting and controlling monster of a game. The lower class must constantly work for very little in exchange to keep their owners happy and in the end, the government. A mercury coin, which is a highly valuable form of currency, is just like the life of a citizen. Their years are taken away and put into the limitless cycle of greed and corruption that is their government. Dove writes, “Not quite a grin/pay him to keep smiling” (12-13). This cycle will never end because no one will ever be fully satisfied. Once they get a taste, they only crave more. The title of this poem, “Climbing In”, does nothing but prove that once someone enters into this black hole, there is no escape.
In Rita Dove’s “Rosa” , is about Rosa Parks and how she was defiant about how African Americans had to sit on the back of the bus and give up their seats to white people diminishing their human dignity. In the first stanza the line reads “so wrong it was ready” (3) Referring to the time of the Civil Rights Movement the “wrong” is how African Americans were being treated and time for change was necessary. In the second stanza Dove writes “That trim name with its dream of a bench / to rest on. / Her sensible coat.”(4-6) Dove uses enjambment going from line 4-6 allowing the thought to continue with out closing the door. The “trim name” and “sensible coat” refer to who Rosa was. Rosa Parks a seamstress wasent a social rights activist she was a seamstress who simply chose not to give up her seat. In the fourth stanza Rita writes “How she stood up when they bent down to retrieve / her purse." (10-12). That courtesy. “ It is unknown who is showing this courtesy but I assume that it is Rosa Parks who is being courteous and not fighting and being defensive but showing that why should she be pushed around at all?
Rita Dove’s poem, Rosa, is an allusion to December 1st, 1955 where civil rights legend Rosa Parks refused to move from her seat on a bus in Alabama. The opening stanza remarks on the timing of the incident in how it happened and along with the nation's views “how she sat there,/ the time right inside a place/ so wrong if was ready” (Doce, 1-3). Dove remarks on how Parks shouldn't have been you to move from he'd spot in the first place, as she was sitting in the colored part of the bus and had the right to sit. Dove I'd also lamenting upon the segregated US, and especially awful racism in Alabama. Rosa Park's refusal to move helped start the Montgomery Bus Boycotts which effectively ended segregated busses. The third stanza delves into how Parks crime was nothing “Doing nothing was the doing:/ the clean flame of her gaze/ carved by a camera flash”(7-9). Parks’ crime was essentially doing nothing, as she was told to move age did nothing to follow such orders. The 2nd and 3rd lines are about being in police custody, Parks’ still gaze is captured in a photo with a flash. The fourth stanza is about her poise during entire incident “how she stood up/ when they bent down to retrieve/ her purse. That courtesy” (10-12). Parks handled the situation with complete poise and confidence.
In Rita Dove’s “Parsley”, she writes about Rafael Trujillo’s horrendous treatment of the slaves that were working in the Dominican Republic’s sugarcane fields. In this poem, Dove has many references to symbolism, however the symbol that stood out the most to me was, parsley. According to historians, Trujillo made black Haitians try to pronounce the word “parsley” in order to decide whether or not they would live or die. He chose this word because most Haitians could not pronounce their “r’s”, making it very easy to identify those who were Dominican and those who were not. Trujillo did this as a way to racially cleanse his country of the immigrants that were coming from Haiti. I think that the title of the poem represents the “Parsley Massacre”, as well as the differences and the fatal power of language because even though the two countries shared an island, they were very different from each other. I also thought that it could represent the genocide and the reason for the large assassination of a race. Another thing that I found interesting about the title was how it makes the poem seem so innocent but then when you read it, you’re blindsided with the fact that it’s about this horrible historical event. I think that Rita Dove was trying to understate this event in order to make the impact on the reader more powerful. On lines 68-70 Dove writes, “the general remembers the tiny green sprigs/ men of his village wore in their capes to honor the birth of a son”. Here, parsley is used to represent the joy/pride a father has when they have a son. These lines show a hint of irony because in most of the poem parsley is an allusion towards death rather than birth. However, in these lines the plant creates a sense of happiness, which is something that Trujillo does not have because of the lose of his mother and this causes him to go mad and order the killing of many.
I really enjoyed your analysis on the symbolism of the word "parsley" within Doves poem. Some additional evidence to support your claim is with the symbolism and contrasting uses of the word "green". In the first reading, "The Farming of Bones", Danticat talks about how "Yves fell headfirst, coughing and choking. His face was buried in a puddle of green spew" (Danticat). Dove also uses the word green in part one of her poem to portray how the slaves would "come up green" (9); most likely referencing how parsley was shoved down the throats of slaves as mentioned in the earlier reading. However, in part two, Dove uses the word "green" in a completely opposite way. In line 64, Dove mentions how the feathers of the parrot arch into a "parody of greenery", and in line 70, "the tiny green sprigs men of his village wore in their capes to honor the birth of a son". These contrasting uses of the same word rigidly perpetuate the dichotomy between slavery and Trujillo's lifestyle.
In Rita Doves "The Cane Fields", the use of symbolism is quite strong. The image of the cane fields symbolizes the enslavement and politics of the time that are found throughout the poem. The cane fields symbolize slavery, it's where many Haitians were sent to work, and where lots happened to die. The parrot could symbolize happiness or even hope, and as soon as it shows up, it's cut down. Even in the mess that is the swamp, there are little windows of beauty, but without the right mindset, they are invisible. For those that do see the parrot, there are glimmers of hope, that they can survive through the slavery and make it to freedom. When it says "for every drop of blood// there is a parrot imitating spring", it implies that sometimes through hardship, hope is strengthened rather than weakened
In the poem “Parsley” by Rita Dove, she compares the luxurious and powerful life of General Trujillo to the depressing and short lives of Haitian slaves by using symbolism and repetition. Dove starts off the poem with, “There is a parrot imitating spring//in the palace, its feathers parsley green.” (1-2). This pet parrot kept in the palace symbolizes the wealth and power or General Trujillo. Stanzas 1-6 are written from the perspective of a Haitian slave, giving the reader a view into the trauma they face on a daily basis and all the damage General Trujillo has created. Dove writes, “El General searches for a word; he is all the world there is” (4-6). Trujillo is referred to as “El General”, already making him sound more powerful and commanding. During his dictatorship, he has bent the minds of the citizens and installed fear in all of them, making them think he is the world. Dove makes references to death and fear all throughout the first half of the poem, in reference to the massacre that later occurs. Dove paints the image that Trujillo is a vicious monster, only being satisfied when the Haitian slaves are killed. The second half of the poem is written from Trujillo’s perspective, as if the reader is inside his head. This shows the unknown reason for the General’s anger; his mother’s death. In contrast to the first half of the poem, Dove writes of wealth and luxury, filling the stanzas with pride and power in order to duplicate the mindset of Trujillo. Again, the parrot gets brought up. This time, it is perched on a brass ring, enhancing its meaning of wealth. Dove writes, “He orders pastries/brought up for the bird; they arrive/dusted with sugar on a bed of lace” (40-42). These pastries are for the pet bird, wasting the sugar the slaves have worked hard to harvest. This proves how much the Haitian slaves mean to General Trujillo. The second half of the poem hints to the death of the slaves and the poem is ended when Dove writes, “He will/order many, this time, to be killed/for a single, beautiful word.” (70-73).
“Parsley” by Rita Dove conveys the inhumane treatment of slaves under General Trujillo’s command through her use of symbolism and motifs in repetition. The most prominent symbol in the poem is the word ‘parsley’, but Dove also uses the motif of death to portray Trujillo’s experience with the passing of his mother, and his treatment of his slaves working in the sugarcane field. During Trujillo’s rule, he forced Afro-Haitians to pronounce the word “perejil” to determine if they would live or die. Knowing that they would not be able to, due to their native tongue of Creole (a dialect of French), Trujillo would therefore rat out those who were not Dominican, but Haitian. The poem is divided into two parts, “The Cane Fields” and “The Palace” for the purpose of telling the story of Trujillo’s genocide through two distinct points of view; the view of the slaves and the view of Trujillo. In part one of the poem, “The Cane Fields”, Dove uses repetition of the lines “Out of the swamp the cane appears” (4 Dove) and “There is a parrot imitating spring” to instill in the mind of the reader, the fear that the slaves would endure upon seeing the cane of “El General”. In the final stanzas of part one, Dove writes “The cane appears in our dreams, lashed by wind and streaming. And we lie down. For every drop of blood there is a parrot imitating spring. Out of the swamp the cane appears” (16-20). In these final lines of “The Cane Fields”, Dove uses symbolism of the lashing “wind and streaming” to represent death and how it permeates so deeply into the lives of the slaves that it even reaches into their dreams.
In Rita Dove’s poem “Parsley”, she uses symbolism throughout the passage exposing the massacre of Haitians by the Dominican dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina. The beginning of the poem begins with “There is a parrot imitating spring / in the palace, its feathers parsley green. / Out of the swamp the cane appears. (1-3). This symbolism is reminded of wealth the parrot most likely a pet of the wealthy and the palace. Then takes a turn going to the “swamp” meaning somewhere tropical where sugar cane could grow but also the division of the people. The fifth stanza is the first use of the word parsley “El General has found his word: perejil.(13). Where those suspected of being Haitian would be shown and a sprig of parsley and asked what it was. Those who could said the R sound were considered Dominicans and those who did not say the R sound were killed instantly. In The Palace Dove seems to be humanizing Trujillo writing about his mother and that she passed in the fall and his dislike for sweets having to do with her making candies when she collapsed.
Rita Dove’s poem, “Parsley”, illustrates the General Trujillo’s dehumanization of the Afro-Haitians in the Dominican Republic. The General’s sadistic nature is quickly brought up “As he paces he Who can I kill today”(29-30). It is quickly established that the general holds nearly no remorse for the Haitians and simply wants to kill them. His sadistic nature is emphasized as no just cause or reason given. Dove also quickly establishes how absurd the general's reasoning for hating the Haitians is “God knows his mother was no stupid; she could roll an R like a queen. Even a parrot can roll an R”(56-58). The general uses the Haitians inability to roll as as justification for their subsequent genocide. The general takes any opportunity to dehumanize the Haitians and deem them worthy to be killed. General's Trujillo's sadistic dehumanization of the Haitians serve as one the main aspects of “Parsley”.
In Rita Dove’s poem “Persephone, Falling”, she writes about the Greek myth of Persephone and her mother, Demeter. In this poem Rita focuses on the exact moment where Hades captures Persephone. The title of the poem is very simple. It tells us the main character of the poem (Persephone) and the setting, which is the present moment where Persephone literally falls, as well as the metaphorical falling of her innocence and mother’s protection. Rita begins the poem saying, “one narcissus among the ordinary beautiful/ flowers, one unlike all the others!”. These two lines both start with the word “one” as in unique and is then referenced to the narcissus, which is a toxic daffodil. This line tells us that Persephone is on her own and trying to find something that will make her special and the source of this desire is the lone narcissus. Another thing about the first line is that it is a fragment, as in it does not contain a verb. This makes the reader focus more on the appearance of the flower as Persephone sees it and by withholding the action in the first line and then ending the second with the verb, we pay even more attention because we’ve been waiting for something to happen. In line 3, Rita uses repetition of the “R” sound, which makes the sentence seem like it is being said with a growling and strained voice. This voice could be her mother’s and how angered she is by what Persephone did. I think that the dash at the end of this line helps to build the anticipation of what is to come next. Rita then writes, “on his glittering terrible/ carriage, he claimed his fate.” (5-6). When Persephone first sees Hades, she is enchanted by his dangerous yet exciting appearance, which Dove describes using the juxtaposition, “glittering terrible”. When I read line 6, I thought of Cinderella and how when her carriage appeared it was a happy moment because she was being rescued, however Hades’s carriage may seem like a rescue but is actually harmful to Persephone. I thought that what was the most interesting part of the poem was line 7, which is, “It is finished. No one heard her.” In this line Rita makes an allusion to the last words that were spoken by Jesus when he died on the cross and by using this reference she is telling us how horrible this loss is to Demeter. In the last stanza, lines 9-12 are in parentheses, which makes me think that the speaker is actually taking the reader aside and is having an intimate conversation with us. We know that these lines are being said by a motherly figure, wether it by Demeter or Rita Dove’s own mother because of the cliche remarks. The speaker is giving us orders: “remember, go, stop”, which relates this poem to our own lives. Finally, in the last two lines Rita concludes that, “this is how easily the pit/ opens. This is how one foot sinks into the ground.” I think that the “this” in these two lines could be Persephone’s careless desire to be special by pulling on a toxic flower that ends up being the devil. However, it could also be Demeter’s over protecting self that geared her daughter into this wrongful path.
I really enjoyed your literary analysis of the poem "Persephone, Falling", but I wonder, does the flower symbolize anything. In Greek times, the narcissus flower represented greed and vanity. This is because of the ancient myth of the beautiful man named Narcissus who could not stop looking at himself; ultimately leading to his demise. I think it's very possible that the narcissus flower in this poem can reference Persephone's naive inclinations, and Hades' self righteous view of himself. In the first stanza, Persephone "pulled, / stooped to pull harder-- / when, sprung out of the earth / on his glittering terrible / carriage, he claimed his due" (2-6 Dove). Hades' glittering carriage is attention seeking and vain, and his 'due' references the male complex of entitlement to women.
In the poem “Heroes”, Rita Dove’s use of allusion and death related literary devices allow for her to convey a theme of the fatal tragedy of heroic action, all while creating a dominant effect of negativity in the vicious cycle of futility. The poem begins by establishing the setting of “A flower in a weedy field: / make it a poppy” (1-2 Dove). Already, Dove has alluded to the myth of Persephone, due to how Persephone was taken by Hades while picking flowers. In lines 2-9, the unnamed character addressed only by “you” has taken the liberty of picking the sole flower in hopes to preserve it. However, “Because it begins to wilt / you run to the nearest house to ask for a jar of water. / The woman on the porch starts / screaming: you’ve plucked the last poppy / in her miserable garden, the one / that gave her the strength every morning/ to rise...” (3-9) Once more on line 6, Dove has alluded to Demeter with the line “The woman on the porch”. Although I do not believe the poem is entirely in reference to the relationship between Persephone and Demeter, Dove uses the myth to bolster the idea of a seemingly heroic deed turned sour by fate. Seeing that the woman is clearly upset by the new absence of the final flower in her garden, the main character tries in vain to console her; aiding in the effect of the mood. In spite of the character’s efforts to mitigate the situation, they ultimately kill the woman by “[striking] her, [so that] she hits / her head on a white boulder,” (14-15). After this unprecedented, sudden climax to the story, the main character sees to “break the stone into gravel / to prop up the flower in the stolen jar” (17-18). I found it strangely ironic that same object, which killed the woman angered by the plucking of her flower, was used to sustain the life of that exact flower. The fact that the boulder was also white, alludes to death; being that white flowers are often given at funerals. In the final stanzas of the poem, the “hero”, knowing the consequences of their actions, flees. In the last lines the main character asks “O why / did you pick that idiot flower” to continue to answer “Because it was the last one / and you knew / it was going to die” (26-28). The flower in this poem symbolizes the perceived weakness of women and their pressing need to be saved. However, in this poem, Dove makes it clear that the actions of a “hero”, whether to save a flower or a person, are unneeded and often exacerbating.
In the poem “Breakfast of Champions” by Rita Dove, she tells the story of a woman who has experienced tragedy and is in recovery from the horrible event. Though she never actually writes what had happened, I think the beauty of the poem is in the process of recovery and how this woman lives her day to day life. If Dove were to state exactly what happened, the readers view of the woman would be completely different. Instead, she uses diction to hint to this woman’s daily struggles. Dove writes, “Finally, overcast skies. I’ve crossed a hemisphere,//worked my way through petals and sunlight//to find a place fit for mourning” (1-3). Dove uses a hyperbole to show the great distance she has come since the incident, working her way through “petals and sunlight”, she has not yet had time to grieve and feel the full impact of what happened. This woman, like many others, uses alcohol to aid her stress. When Dove mentions alcohol in the fifth and sixth line, it adds a negative and depressing tone to the poem, revealing the hidden sorrow buried deep inside her. In the second stanza, Dove writes, “I rummage through the pantry’s//stock for raisins and cereal as they pull//honking out of the mist, a sonic hospital graph//announcing recovery” (9-11). The geese she describes “honking out of the mist” could also resemble a car, hinting to what may have occurred and caused this woman’s pain. Though at the end of this stanza, there is a dramatic shift in tone. The poem suddenly fills with positive diction and she states, “Arise, it’s a brand new morning!” (12). This might be a sign that the woman is healing and has begun her new life.
In Rita Doves "Persephone, Falling" symbols, imagery, and wordplay were all used more than once. The poem consists of two parts, one consisting mainly of metaphors and symbols, while the other seems to be a flashback, a memory of a parent speaking to a child before sending them off to school. "This is how easily the pit // opens" seems to signify the norms of society, "keep your eyes down", the way people are expected to be. A narcissus is a white flower with a bright center. The flower signifies a person, molded by society on the outside, but having their true creativity pent up inside.
In Rita Dove’s poem, “Primer”, she depicts her powerlessness during her youth and her will to become an adult and defend herself. Dove begins with illustration of youth “in the sixth grade I was chased home by/ the Gatlin kids, three skinny sisters/ in rolled down bobby socks. Hissing/ Braniac! and Mrs. Stringbean!, they trod my heel./ I knew my body was big deal/ but never thought to retort: who’s calling who skinny? (Besides, I knew/ they’d beat me up)” (Dove, 1-8). Dove describes herself as being constantly bullied. While she can't fight back, Dove aggravates her bullies despite being unable to fight back. Dove seeks to defend herself by any means, particularly with her words. Dove then describes her mother “I survived/ their shoves across the schoolyard/ because my five-foot-zero mother drove up/ in her Caddie to shake them down to size” (8-11). Dove’s strife is ended by her mother. While her mother has a diminutive stature, she's able to stop the bullies by simply being an adult. Children view adults with fear and respect, Dove’s bullies avoid confrontation with her mother due to the fear getting in trouble with an adult. “Nothing could get me into that car./ U room the long way home, swore/ I'd show them all: I would grow up.” (12-14). Dove avoids getting into the car because she refuses help. She view the power her mother holds and compares it to her own helplessness. She seeks adulthood in order to reach her ultimate goal, defending herself. Dove’s mother symbolizes the power to defend herself which she hopes to attain.
In Rita Dove’s “Cozy Apologia”, she writes about a woman who is professing her love to another. I think that this is from the point of view of Rita Dove because the poem was written for her husband, Fred Viebahn. Rita adores this man so much that she has no words to describe her feelings, yet everything she sees brings her mind back to him. Rita writes, “there you’ll be, with furrowed brow/ and chain mail glinting, to set me free:/ one eye smiling, the other firm upon the enemy” (8-10). In these lines Rita is describing how whenever she feels trapped, this man is always there to rescue her. Rita continues to describe that her love for him is so powerful that it takes her away from the business oriented society that she lives in. In the second stanza, Rita Dove makes a reference to Hurricane Floyd, which was a powerful storm that happened along the east coast in 1999. This storm is then compared to her memories of crushes on teenage boys: drastic, but not enough to make a huge difference in her life. The metaphor, “ Big Bad Floyd, who brings a host/ of daydreams: awkward reminiscences/ of teenage crushes on worthless boys” (14-16) explains that just like a hurricane brings bad weather, it also bring back awkward memories. Also a hurricane has a huge front and then the eye of the storm, which is where the weather is calm. The boys that she had crushes on appeared charming but actually they only had a hollow center. Dove is trying to push away those memories in order to focus on the real love that she has with her husband. In the last stanza, Rita and Fred are safe in their home and are both very happy; just falling short of perfection. However, she is struggling to realize why anyone would want to settle for being ordinary. Dove and Viebahn often got ridiculed by society for who they chose to marry, as both come from different background. Rita is African American, and he is German and has lived in Germany for most of his life. She writes, “when has the ordinary ever been news?” (27), as if trying to say, that being ordinary doesn’t make you something worth people’s time. Dove knows that others have very strong opinions on this, but she is still not afraid to profess her love for him. The title of this poem, means “comforted apology”. I think the Rita Dove is sarcastically apologizing for not conforming to society's norms. She doesn’t understand why people would want to be traditional, so she is “cozy” with the fact that she is different. Dove is apologizing but is very content with the choices she has made.
In Rita Dove’s “Chocolate”, she uses chocolate to symbolize a rushed relationship between her and a loved one. Chocolate is a sweet dessert that is savored and meant to be eaten in small amounts. It triggers a desire in the human brain like no other, raising dopamine levels and creating a certain hunger. This is very similar to craving love and human touch. Dove writes from the perspective of an eager individual who cannot help but indulge in the sweet reward and satisfaction of love. She writes, “How you numb me//with your rich attentions!//If I don’t eat you quickly,//you’ll melt in my palm” (4-7). These lines exemplify the yearning for this love, how the “chocolate” numbs her of her pains and struggles and gives her happiness. This feeling pulls her away from real life and acts as a lovely distraction. As she becomes engulfed in this love, she craves more. This temptation leads her to make rash decisions and rush blindly into this unknown love. Dove writes, Enough chatter: I am ready to fall in love!” (15-16). She ends the poem with this line and finalizes it with an exclamation point. This shows her excitement and confidence in this decision, while also reflecting the rush it has given her.
In the poem “Sic Itur Ad Astra”, Rita Dove’s use of symbolism and visual imagery create a theme of despair and depression amongst the daily trials of life. In the first stanza, Dove writes, “Bed, where are you flying to? / I went to sleep / nearly an hour ago, / and now I’m on a porch / open to the stars!” (1-5 Dove). In these first few lines of the poem, Dove has used the narrator’s bed as a symbol for dreams--in a setting of sleep--and how they so often can fly into the stars, leaving the narrator behind. In stanza two, Dove uses the simile of the narrator’s “...nightshirt / fluttering white as a sail” (10-11) to compare the narrator to a boat; symbolizing their wandering and transient life. The visual imagery used to describe the nightshirt further emphasizes the effect of this symbol in the poem. In the third stanza, the narrator is questioning whether the world will notice their dreams, their effect on life. This question is universal and I believe is one that most people will shout into the void at some point within their lives. At the beginning of the fourth stanza, the narrator begins desperately calling out to their bed to return, saying “I need you! I don’t know my way” (18). This represents how the narrator may be attempting to reconcile with their dreams, although their actions are in vain. The narrator proceeds to then ask for the bed to “...leave [their] pillow / behind to remind [them] / what affliction [they’ve] fled --” (19-21). At this point in the poem, the narrator has become completely saddened and desperate for any form of their dream, even though it is gone already.
In “Eliza, Age 10, Harlem Rita Dove conveys the emotions of a young girl who hopes to grow soon. I think Dove uses the opening stanza to perfectly reflect a child's reaction when the size is picked at “ I'm not small like they say,/ those withered onions on the stoop/ clucking there sorrowful tongues./ I'm concentrated. I'm a sweet/ package of love.”(1-5). Eliza, like any child, is very defensive of her stature, the second and third lines of the stanza reflects by her insulting the older people who made comments at her height. Eliza uses the excuse the she is concentrated rather than small as a childish way to support herself. The last stanza reflects her eagerness to grow “Yes,/ I am my grandma’s sugar pea/ and someday I'm gonna pop: right out-and then, boy:, you better jump back”(11-15). Currently Eliza is young and precious especially to her grandmother but she also knows she'll eventually grow. The last two line are used to show that when Eliza grows boys but also the world should be ready.
In Rita Dove’s, “Describe Yourself in Three Words or Less”, she writes in a very definite tone because even though the title is asking you to describe yourself in just three words, structurally she does it in three stanzas. This shows that she does not want to follow the rules of society. Dove goes on to write about how she refuses to be categorized, she writes, “I’m not the kind of person who praises/ openly, or for profit; I’m not the kind who will steal a scene unless/ I’ve designed it. I’m not a kind at all.” (1-4). In these lines Rita uses repetition of the word “kind” in order to emphasis the fact that she refuses to be described as one specific type or “kind” of person. In the next lines she opposes these traits by saying, “I’m itchy and pug-willed,/ gnarled and wrong-headed,/ never amorous but possessing/ a wild, thatched soul.” (5-8). These adjectives contradict the stereotype of women because we are seen as very emotional and soft people, but Rita Dove is describing herself as being the exact opposite. In the second stanza, Dove writes, “whether they drift off/ maddened, moon-rinsed,/ or dock in the mourning/ scuffed and chastened-/ is simply how it is, and I gather them in.” (11-15). She is using boats as a metaphor for her thoughts. Rita Dove is arguing with the stereotype that all women think about the same thing no matter who they are. However, in this case Dove argues that her thoughts are scattered and some are beautiful, while others are dark and beaten. She also argues that her thoughts are at the mercy of the wind, which means that they are hard to control. In the last stanza, Dove writes, “then I sing to the bright-beaked bird outside,/ then to the manicured spider” (17-19). Rita uses personification in order to describe that these animals are not normal and therefore can not be stereotyped because of their unique qualities. Lastly, Dove ends the poem saying, “then I will stop, and forget the singing./ (See? I have already forgotten you.)” (21-22). In these lines she is speaking to society and is reinstating the fact that she is not going to limit herself to just three words and is not going to care about what society thinks of her.
In Rita Dove’s “Meditation at Fifty Yards, Moving Target”, she divides the poem up, giving each section a new title. The first section is called, “Safety First”. Dove writes of gun safety and the precautions one must take before handling a gun. This is the stage where the holder is just beginning to get familiar with the gun, they may be intimidated by it or scared to use it. Though, Dove writes this from the perspective of someone who has heard these rules several times and she almost makes fun of these directions. She writes, “Assume a loaded barrel, even when it isn’t, especially when you know it isn’t” (2-3). She ends this stanza by describing a scenario which makes the reader feel as if this person has used a gun many times before and is comfortable with it. Dove writes, “You could wound the burglar and kill your child sleeping in the next room, all with one shot” (12-13). In the next section, “Open Air”, Dove replicates the feeling and freedom of shooting without these guidelines constantly restraining the shooter. These two stanzas show the hint of fear and hesitation while using the gun, but describes the pleasure and rush of using the gun. This makes the activity all so real and proves the power of a gun can change a person and their actions.
In “Heart to Heart” Rita Dove describes the importance of the heart and what it truly means to give a heart. Dove begins the poem by describe what the heart isn't “It’s neither red/ nor sweet./ It doesn't melt/ or turn over,/ break or harden,/ so it can't feel/ pain,/ yearning,/ regret” (Dove, 1-9). I think Dove does this in order to address and denounce the cliches of the heart. The heart is unable to feel emotion of undergo a dramatic change. Dove later does this with with cliche actions that the heart is believed to feel “I can't wear it/ on my sleeve,/ or tell you from the bottom of it/ how I feel” (24-28). Dove uses this to again deconstruct stereotypes associated with the heart. Now the stereotypes deal with actions the heart is believed to take. The deconstruction puts emphasis on the heart's primary function and purpose, regulating blood flow and in turn keeping a person alive. Lastly Dove briefly describes an exchange of hearts “ Here,/ it all yours, now-/ but you'll have to take me, too” (28-32). Dove first uses figurative language here. She depicts herself giving her heart and in turn her very life to a trusted person. This trusted person must then also take Dove along with heart.
Please initiate your comments about the poetry in the section "Historical Figures"--due by 11:00 pm Thursday 10/29.
ReplyDeleteIn Rita Dove’s poem, Sonnet in Primary Colors she uses imagery to describe Frida. We first notice the use of visual imagery within the title of the poem. Primary colors are the colors that form the basis of all the others. They can not be mixed or formed by any combination of other colors, and usually include red, blue, and yellow. Rita Dove uses “primary colors” when talking about Frida Kahlo because her paintings were very unique in style. She painted brutally honest self-portraits that revealed her emotions, while incorporating Mexican culture and politics. This art became the standard that all other artists tried to replicate. She became the original artist of realism and all other artists were merely followers. Another example of imagery is the line, “lovely Frida, erect among parrots, in the stern petticoats of the peasant,/ who painted herself a present” (2-3). In this line Rita is comparing Frida’s art to other women painters (peasants). We can see that Frida stands out because of the use of kinesthetic imagery when Rita refers to her as being erect or standing tall. This tells us that she is more superior than the other peasants. Rita also uses visual imagery when describing Frida’s clothes compared to the other women’s. The peasant's clothes are seen as very serious and lack creativity and beauty, no matter how hard they try to create something different, while Frida’s are whimsical with the wildflowers that are incorporated. This shows that her appearance was natural and involved very minimal effort. In conclusion, Rita Dove uses imagery to tell the reader that Frida Kahlo was a beautiful woman because of her unique style of painting.
ReplyDeleteIn Rita Dove’s poem, Nestor’s bathtub is focused on how Nestor is remembered as this greek warrior but “the legend got it all wrong” Rita Dove expressing that really Nestor's wife is the one who was in the home but whom no one remembers and is forgotten as so many women are. Rita Dove uses imagery to describe the wife of Nestor’s situation. With the use of tactile, kinesthetic and olfactory imagery writes “was to the one to crouch under jug upon jug of fragrant water poured unto the small room steamed” (3-5) Meaning that Nestor's wife is seen as this materialistic woman that has the lavishings that others don’t. Though that is not the case at all as the poem continues and Rita Dove explains what the legends don’t say. Using visual and kinesthetic imagery writing in the first stanza “while his wife with her white hands scraped the dirt from a lover’s back with a bronze scalpel?” (11-13) Describing that Nestor's wife of course had a lover and using a beautiful scalpel again coming back to the riches she had which is only how she was perceived. The third stanza using visual imagery writes “oil spreading in flames to the lady’s throne” (24-25) Considering that as their home burned to the ground Nestor's wife burned with it to be forgotten.
ReplyDeleteIn the poem Canary, by Rita Dove, she reflects on the life of Billie Holiday and finds a way to summarize her dark and struggle filled life in just a few lines. She starts off the poem with, “Billie Holiday’s burned voice” (1). Dove uses the word “burned” in reference Holiday’s voice towards the end of the career. After a lifetime of abuse from alcohol, drugs, and singing, it became worn out. She then continues with tactile imagery, describing a “sleek piano” and then comparing it to a “ruined face”. This of course is Holiday’s face, giving it texture and adding to the worn out description of the woman. The next stanza brings the reader into the stage of Holiday’s life where she begins using drugs. This stanza is enclosed in parenthesis, separating it from the rest of the poem, and essentially, her life. This is because this stage has the greatest impact on her life and leads to a downward spiral. Dove writes, “Now you’re cooking, drummer to bass, magic spoon, magic needle” (5-6). These lines reference her use of heroin and also reflect upon the darker stages of her life. Around this time in her life, she begins to feel weak and overwhelmed by all aspects of her life. This could be from her introduction into the media by producer John Hammond. He brought her into the spotlight, where she performed and recorded until she physically and mentally broke down. This brought her into the last stage of her life, where she abused drugs and was disrespected by men. She no longer felt free, she felt trapped in the endless stream of media and felt worthless. This is shown in the last line of the poem, where Dove writes, “If you can’t be free, be a mystery” (11).
ReplyDeleteMy ideas on this poem is very similar to yours. For example, I thought that when Rita Dove compared the “sleek piano” to Billie Holiday’s “ruined face”, she was comparing the toll that the drugs were taking on her body. However, I also thought that when Rita mentioned the “sleek piano” and “gardenia” she was comparing superficial beauty to realistic beauty because the piano and flower are beautiful but nothing can mask the effects that life has on your image. I also had the same idea that the line, “now you’re cooking, drummer to bass,/ magic spoon, magic needle” (5-6), was a reference to her drug abuse and that by it being in parentheses shows that it’s apart of her private life and is not as important compared to her fame.
DeleteIn Riva Dove’s poem, “Canary”, contrast is used to emphasize the dark life that Billie Holiday live. Billie Holiday's various struggles in life aren't often spoken or known “Billie Holiday’s burned voice has as many shadows as lights”(Dove, 1-2). The first line alludes to Holiday losing her voice, due to drug addiction, while the second creates contrast with the use of light and shadows. The contrast between dark and light and dark alludes to how despite being a popular jazz singer Holiday suffered throughout her entire life. Even in the height of her popularity Billie Holiday suffered abuse and addiction to drugs “the gardenia her signature under that ruined face”(4). Dove signifies that Holiday’s signature gardenia flower, something viewed as beautiful, contrasts which her ruined faced, affected by both physical abuse but the negative effects of drugs such as heroin, which Holiday frequently abused, had on a her outward appearance. Another contrast which is present is how the gardenia, worn atop her, was under her face instead. Holiday's face which had become altered by constant drug abuse could no longer be hidden by the beautiful gardenia eventually eclipsing it while still being under it. Rita Dove’s use of contrast signified Billie Holiday's various struggles in life and how they contrasted with her career.
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ReplyDeleteRita Dove poetry blog #1
ReplyDeleteIn the sonnet ‘sonnet in primary colors’, the narrator describes a women named Frita. Frita is described as a beautiful woman, looking lovely in a stern petticoat. The narrator uses imagery to describe the woman when it says “erect among parrots”, letting the reader know the extent of which she stands out. Parrots are incredibly colorful creatures, very different from most animals, and the peasants in her paintings make her seem far more beautiful than others, much like comparing parrots to boring animals. To accentuate her beauty, the sonnet highlights her clothing. “.. who painted herself a present—wildflowers entwining the plaster corset..” indicating that she wore beautiful clothing that brought out her beauty through their natural forms. Similes are also used when it says “..the hundred dogs panting like children along the graveled..” right after mentioning Karl Marx, Lenin, and Stalin. All of them had followers, so it seems as if she’s using the dogs and children to symbolize mindless followers that are easily distracted by surroundings, where the surroundings are Fritas paintings.
-Stephan Kaidan 10/29/15
My idea is similar to your idea of the author using imagery in order to describe how Frida stood out compared to other artists. For example I thought that when Rita described her as being “erect”, she was saying how Frida is more superior compared to the other artists (peasants). Another idea that I had that is similar to yours, is the use of imagery through describing how beautiful her clothing is. For example, I said that her clothing is seen as more creative and natural compared to those of the peasants, which we both came to the conclusion of.
Delete“Sonnet in Primary Colors”, by Rita Dove, conveys the intense pain felt by the subject, Frida Kahlo, in contrast with her beauty. The poem references several of Kahlo’s self portraits, in which she is known for including personal imagery of symbols apparent within her own life and Mexican culture. Dove’s use of visual imagery is seen immediately in line one when the narrator describes Kahlo as “the woman with one black wing perched over her eyes”. Referring to Frida’s iconic broad eyebrows, Dove compares the former to a bird; a repeated symbol of beauty in the poem. In line three where Dove writes “erect among parrots, in the stern petticoats of the peasant” the reader again sees another allusion to a bird. This one in particular references Kahlo’s liking to painting herself amongst parrots in her self portraits; a pattern of pictorial language which signified Kahlo’s work.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the entire poem, Dove uses elaborate diction to convey the sheer greatness of Kahlo’s beauty, but includes negative connotations hidden amongst the imagery, creating several antitheses of beauty and pain. In line three, Dove contrasts the word “stern” amongst the positive visual imagery. In line six, Frida’s “spine resides in the romance of mirrors”. The imagery associated with a bare human skeleton--a spine--is contrasted against the delicate idea of a “romance of mirrors”. At line eight, the poem takes a sharp turn from predominantly positive connotations to the negative. Dove is able to do this though using sharper, harsher alliteration seen in line eight with “butterflies of her Beloved Dead” and in line 11 with “the graveled walks of the garden”. The strong “b” and “g” sounds have a disparity from the soft “s” and “p” sounds used frequently in the first half of the poem.
Dove’s use of visual imagery, antithesis, and contrasting forms of alliteration allow the viewer to see the truth behind Kahlo’s beauty. The viewer understands that in Kahlo’s eyes, her pain must accompany her beauty; one cannot be without the other. Near the end of the poem, Dove almost leaves the reader questioning whether Kahlo’s lover, Diego Rivera, is a part of her beauty or her pain. Perhaps that is a part of the mystery behind Kahlo’s pictorial symbolism in her paintings. Nonetheless, Dove allows the viewer to understand that while Frida Kahlo’s beauty is breathtaking, her pain still exists.
In the poem, “David Walker”, Rita writes about a less-than-famous abolitionist named David Walker. She starts out saying that he was, “free to travel, he still couldn’t be shown how lucky/ he was” (1-2). I think that there is a hint of satire in this line because Rita is making fun of the fact that Walker was born free and educated, yet he doesn’t appreciate that he has all those things. However, I also think that this line could be being said from a white person’s point of view because David was able to walk free. A white person might feel that he should be grateful that he has that privilege and Walker should not be trying to advocate for more rights. Another aspect of the poem that I looked into was the italicized portions. I think that it’s obvious that they are excerpts from the pamphlets that he wrote and by integrating them into the poem, Rita is able to show the emotions that David Walker feels. In lines 9-15 Rita describes the methods that Walker used in order to get his message around the community. He used black sailors to smuggle his pamphlets to parts of the South. Later, these pamphlets were discovered and led to an uproar within the legislature. In lines 18-19, we see the abolitionist speaker part of Walker’s struggles. Rita writes, “the jewelled canaries in the lecture halls tittered,/ pressed his dark hand between their gloves”. The “jewelled canaries” refers to the rich, white audience that would listen to his speeches and laugh because he was asking them to abolish slavery. In this line Rita uses visual imagery to show the contrast between David Walker and the white people’s lives. During this time period, both men and women wore gloves to evening entertainments. The white gloves represent the rich and his ungloved hands represent the fact that his kind were considered very low members of society. Lastly, the part of the line of the poem that I thought was the most interesting was “every half-step was no step at all” (20). I think that this could mean that even though David is free that that freedom does not keep him from being concerned about the status of his people. It could also be that the compass, referred to in line 5-6 could have been a better help than a pamphlet to a slave that can’t read.
ReplyDeleteIn the poem the “The House Slave,” by Rita Dove shows the divide between the slaves and their masters. In the perspective of a house slave the poem starts in the morning as slaves are awakened by horns to begin their work for the day. The first simile used “I watch them driven into the vague before-dawn/ while their mistress sleeps like an ivory toothpick/ and Massa dreams...”(5-7). This line shows that the mistress is sleeping well and lavishly by the use of “ivory” while the slaves are working without and “Massa” referring to the master who has the ability to dream while all the field slaves lives are consumed by their work. In the third stanza Rita Dove uses kinesthetic imagery with the line “the whip curls across the backs of the laggards” (9) “Laggards” being those who work slowly and could not keep up with the pace of labor. The second simile used in the poem is in the fifth stanza “...and as the fields unfold to witness,/and they spill like bees among the fat flowers,”(13-14) I think by the use of the word “bee” Rita Dove is implying that the slaves work so hard as bees do, picking the cotton as bees pollinate the plants around them. Picking a immense amount of cotton although never being able to reap anything from their work How when humans take honey from a hive the same is happening in the situation of the slaves working in the fields.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your interpretation of Dove using "The House Slave" to portray the divide between the slaves and their masters. Something else to supplement your interpretation is Dove's use of paradox and contrasting ideas/statements. In stanza two, Dove contrasts the mistress sleeping "like an ivory toothpick" (6) to the slaves who have already grabbed water gourds, taken a breakfast, and being driven into the fields to work. In stanza three, Dove contrasts the "Massa" dreaming of the riches that come with owning slaves, to the fact that the narrator cannot fall asleep in the first place. Notice that by this time in the poem, the first and second horns have already been blown, while the mistress and master are still fast asleep. In stanza four, Dove uses a contrasting statement of "shivering in the early heat" (12) to show the narrator's fear of the day; shivering representing fear, and heat representing the turmoil the day brings.
DeleteI really enjoy and agree with your analysis of the porm. To expand on your analysis of the line "while their mistress sleeps like an ivory toothpick"(Dove, 5). Ivory is gain by poaching elephants for the tusks and is quite expensive, which ivory toothpicks being sold in the thousands, and is seen is very beautiful . The mistress like the toothpick, high value is gained through the expense of something else, for the toothpick the elephant and the mistress the slaves that work for her.
DeleteMy idea of this poem is similar to yours. For example, I thought that the poem was reflecting on the everyday lifestyle of house slaves. However, I do think that the main focus of the poem was more on the life of the slaves rather than the master because the poem only references the master in lines 5-7 and then it goes back to the slaves. I also thought that the simile, “they spill like bees among the fat flowers” (14) was referring to how the slaves go from one flower to the other when they are picking, much like bees do when pollinating. On the other hand, I like how you connected the fact that the mistress is sleeping lavishly by using the word “ivory”.
ReplyDeleteIn Rita Dove's “David Walker (1785-1830) it intrigued me that Rita chose to include the year after the name, seeing as she hasn't done that to many poems. It seems as if she is trying to make it clear to the reader of the timeframe in which slavery was at its largest, and David's significance during that time. When Rita describes the shop “All day at the counter - /white caps, ale-stained peacoats. Compass needles, / eloquent as tuning forks, shivered, pointing north“ North being mentioned to signify where slavery was later to be abolished. So to summarize, David Walker was an american anti-slavery activist who published pamphlets against slavery. Rita Dove uses lots of visual imagery to explain the struggles David went through.
ReplyDeleteIn the poem “The Abduction”, by Rita Dove, she describes a man named Harrison and his dream of being free. The poem is over exaggerated with nearly impossible achievements for the man at that time, which puts emphasis on this dream of his. Dove refers to the man as “the great Harrison”, automatically making him superior to the other citizens. She also uses the term “pigs” when referring to the crowd of people watching him walk down the avenue. This proves to the reader that Harrison has a past with the citizens, maybe meaning that his owner has mistreated him, explaining his hatred towards slave owners or white people in general. In his dream, he pictures these citizens as if they are lower than him. This expands his dream of freedom and shows the reader his ultimate goal. Dove then uses the simile, “Then the wine, like a pink lake, tipped. I was lifted-the sky swiveled, clicked into place” (11-12). Wine represents luxury, wealth, and freedom in this situation. The tipping of this liquid resembles Harrison’s dreams and how they come crashing down as he wakes up. Dove writes, “I floated on water I could not drink. Though the pillow was stone, I climbed no ladders in that sleep” (13-14). He realizes that this will likely never come true and that it is nothing but a dream. This is where the poem shifts and quickly returns to reality where Harrison lives the dark and limited life of a slave.
ReplyDeleteIn Rita Dove’s poem, “The Abduction”, the identity of a free man, Solomon Northrup, is explored through Dove’s account of his abduction into slavery in the eyes of Northrup himself. In the first stanza, the reader gets a sense of what Northrup’s life before slavery was like with a generally positive mood. In lines 4-5, Dove uses visual imagery to describe Northrup’s “free papers in [his] pocket, violin under arm, [his] new friends Brown and Hamilton by [his] side” (4-5 Dove). In those two lines, the reader is swayed towards a happier mood by visualizing free papers, a treasure during this time period, a musical instrument, and new friends. However, it is in stanza two that the mood develops negative undertones beneath the positive. It begins with the question, “Why should I have doubted them?” (6), to imply that Northrup’s “new friends” have betrayed him. It’s in lines 7-9 that Northrup elaborates on the clever, dishonest nature of Brown and Hamilton. Their compellingly nice nature persuaded Northrup into trusting them with the way “Brown’s tall hat collected pennies at the tent flap, Hamilton’s feet did a jig on the tightrope...and [Northrup] fiddled” (7-9). In the third and fourth stanza, Dove’s use of kinesthetic and auditory imagery create a psychedelic experience for the reader. Through this, the reader can infer that some type of drug was slipped into Northrup’s drink so that “the wine, like a pink lake, tipped” (11) In these two stanzas, the mood has once again changed to a slightly more negative one. In the fifth and final stanza, the mood has now evolved into a completely dark, and negative one, symbolizing Solomon Northrup’s descent into slavery at the hands of Brown and Hamilton. Dove uses visual imagery to portray Northrup’s new existence “alone, in darkness and in chains” (15).
ReplyDeleteIn Rita Dove poem, “Belinda’s Petition”, Rita Dove describes the hypocrisy that is institutionalized slavery through the allusion of the petition made by Belinda in Massachusetts of 1783.The speaker in this poem is Belinda. Belinda uses the American’s Declaration of Independence as a parallel to the plight of slavery “Lately your Countrymen had severed/ the Binds of Tyranny. I would hope/ you would consider the same for me,/ pure Air being the sole Advantage/ of which I can boast my present Condition”( Dove, 8-12). While the United States has freed themselves from what they believed to be oppression they continue to subjugate slaves. The U.S hypocritically separates from England yet maintains the use of forced human labor. Belinda also takes advantage of the fact that she is supposedly ignorant “all my childhood I had expected nothing, if that be Ignorance./ The only Travelers were the Dead who returned/ from the Ridge each Evening. How might/ I have known of Men with like the Moon”(16-19). Belinda is believed to be ignorant she has no prior to the white peoples who abduct her. She also demonstrates knowledge of U.S History while U.S citizens often had zero empathy for the slaves proving the lack of interest or knowledge of slaves. The US government hypocritically claimed slaves were ignorant without understand, interest, or general knowledge of the slaves prior lives or thoughts while serving under institutionalized slavery.
ReplyDeleteIn Rita Dove’s “Lady Freedom Among Us”, she writes about the statue of the women that is on top of the Congress building in Washington D.C. The poem was written about when the statue was taken down for remodeling after the 200th anniversary of the laying down of the U.S. capitol. In this poem I think that Rita Dove is exploring the paradoxes of the idea of freedom and what is actually happening in the country. In the first stanza, Rita uses repetition of the words, “your” in order to emphasis that we’ve become so focused on our own lives that we pass by the homeless on the streets and we walk stiffly ahead and that we end up missing the freedom altogether. In this poem I believe that Lady Freedom represents the homeless or the lower class because of the visual imagery Dove uses in describing her appearance. She describes her as having, “oldfashioned sandals”, “leaden skirts”, and “stained cheeks” (8-10), showing that she is poor and blends in with the world around her. Due to her appearance, people forget that she is even there, thus forgetting the freedom that this country once took so much pride in. However, in the eighth stanza, Rita Dove calls for a reevaluation of what this statute means to the country. She describes Lady Freedom as a “big boned resolute” (25) because the statue has endured so much change over the years. This statute has “assumed the thick skin of this town/ its gritted exhaust its sunscorch and blear” (22-23) and she wants us to do the same. She wants the people living here to not give up on this country even when it’s going downhill, just as she has. I think that the overriding message in this poem is that Lady Freedom is not just this statue but this troubling voice in all of our minds telling us to take a look around and see that this freedom is not going anywhere.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your insight that Lady Freedom represents a poorer yet stronger person, but I think that the statue also symbolizes the struggle and hopeful redemption of freedom as a whole during this time period. I think that with this poem, Dove was exploring the true meanings of freedom in America, and the interpretations of what it meant to be free during the civil rights movement. In the last two lines of the ninth stanza, Dove writes "for she is one of the many and she is each of us" (31-32 Dove) to establish that although freedom has been seemingly trampled, as mentioned earlier in stanzas three through seven, freedom will triumph.
DeleteRita Dove's “The Situation Is Intolerable” was part of a collection labeled “On The Bus With Rosa Parks”, so I expected themes of racism, appearance, and class. It seemed as if the poem was written from the point of an african american during the time of the civil rights movement and segregation. The first two stanzas seemed connected in that they depict a like group of people. They are portrayed as uncivilized, but this is not true at all. The third and final stanza describes their battle with poverty and the struggles they go through. Lots of imagery was used that brought me to my analysis. The poem could be interpreted as being written for african americans but many other groups in the us were going through similar experience at this time in the United States.
ReplyDelete-Stephan Kaidan 11/4/2015
The poem “Claudette Colvin Goes to Work” by Rita Dove, explores the prejudice held against people of color during the civil rights movement. Similar to the poems in the Slavery section, Dove creates a stark difference between the lives of white people and people of color; predominantly in the actions of their everyday lives. In the first stanza, Dove creates a dark and curious scene; setting an equally dark mood. Using diction to establish visual imagery, the reader can envision how the “Menial twilight sweeps the storefronts along Lexington as the shadows arrive to take their places among the scourge of the earth...lightbulbs coming on in each narrow residence, the golden wattage of bleak interiors announcing Anyone home? or I’m beat, bring me a beer” (1-5 Dove). Through using such intense imagery, the reader can establish a connection with the narrator by first understanding the world in which Claudette Colvin will go to work in. Dove also uses emotional and kinesthetic imagery to develop Colvin. In the second stanza, the reader is taken into presumably what is her [Colvin’s] home. Dove’s use of metaphor to further the visual imagery is seen in lines 11-13 with “one drop of sweat is all it would take to dissolve an armchair pillow into brocade residue” (11-13). In stanzas four and five, Dove shows to the reader, how racism, classism, and racial divisions dictated how Colvin’s life would play out. In line 28 of stanza four, the reader sees how when Colvin was a young girl she “wrote in class she was going to be President”, but is contrasted with the reality of life in this era when the reader proceeds to understand that instead, Colvin works menial hospitality tasks where even then she is disregarded due to prejudice. The poem ends on an ambiguously bleak tone; symbolizing the lack of hope felt by Colvin, and the lack of opportunities her darker color afforded her.
ReplyDeleteIn the poem “Climbing In” by Rita Dove, she carefully picked every word in this poem to communicate to the reader the severity of the overpowering control of the government and others of high importance. She often uses words like metal or silver, these substances were both extremely valuable around the time that this poem was written. They symbolize power and wealth. Assuming this poem is written from the perspective of a lower class citizen, all factors of wealth she includes are to show how corrupt the world around them is. Dove uses the entire poem to compare the government and officials to a token game. She writes, “Pay to keep him smiling/as the bright lady tumbles/head over tail/down the clinking gullet” (13-16). This refers to tokens feeding this addicting and controlling monster of a game. The lower class must constantly work for very little in exchange to keep their owners happy and in the end, the government. A mercury coin, which is a highly valuable form of currency, is just like the life of a citizen. Their years are taken away and put into the limitless cycle of greed and corruption that is their government. Dove writes, “Not quite a grin/pay him to keep smiling” (12-13). This cycle will never end because no one will ever be fully satisfied. Once they get a taste, they only crave more. The title of this poem, “Climbing In”, does nothing but prove that once someone enters into this black hole, there is no escape.
ReplyDeleteIn Rita Dove’s “Rosa” , is about Rosa Parks and how she was defiant about how African Americans had to sit on the back of the bus and give up their seats to white people diminishing their human dignity. In the first stanza the line reads “so wrong it was ready” (3) Referring to the time of the Civil Rights Movement the “wrong” is how African Americans were being treated and time for change was necessary. In the second stanza Dove writes “That trim name with its dream of a bench / to rest on. / Her sensible coat.”(4-6) Dove uses enjambment going from line 4-6 allowing the thought to continue with out closing the door. The “trim name” and “sensible coat” refer to who Rosa was. Rosa Parks a seamstress wasent a social rights activist she was a seamstress who simply chose not to give up her seat. In the fourth stanza Rita writes “How she stood up when they bent down to retrieve / her purse." (10-12). That courtesy. “ It is unknown who is showing this courtesy but I assume that it is Rosa Parks who is being courteous and not fighting and being defensive but showing that why should she be pushed around at all?
ReplyDeleteRita Dove’s poem, Rosa, is an allusion to December 1st, 1955 where civil rights legend Rosa Parks refused to move from her seat on a bus in Alabama. The opening stanza remarks on the timing of the incident in how it happened and along with the nation's views “how she sat there,/ the time right inside a place/ so wrong if was ready” (Doce, 1-3). Dove remarks on how Parks shouldn't have been you to move from he'd spot in the first place, as she was sitting in the colored part of the bus and had the right to sit. Dove I'd also lamenting upon the segregated US, and especially awful racism in Alabama. Rosa Park's refusal to move helped start the Montgomery Bus Boycotts which effectively ended segregated busses. The third stanza delves into how Parks crime was nothing “Doing nothing was the doing:/ the clean flame of her gaze/ carved by a camera flash”(7-9). Parks’ crime was essentially doing nothing, as she was told to move age did nothing to follow such orders. The 2nd and 3rd lines are about being in police custody, Parks’ still gaze is captured in a photo with a flash. The fourth stanza is about her poise during entire incident “how she stood up/ when they bent down to retrieve/ her purse. That courtesy” (10-12). Parks handled the situation with complete poise and confidence.
ReplyDeleteIn Rita Dove’s “Parsley”, she writes about Rafael Trujillo’s horrendous treatment of the slaves that were working in the Dominican Republic’s sugarcane fields. In this poem, Dove has many references to symbolism, however the symbol that stood out the most to me was, parsley. According to historians, Trujillo made black Haitians try to pronounce the word “parsley” in order to decide whether or not they would live or die. He chose this word because most Haitians could not pronounce their “r’s”, making it very easy to identify those who were Dominican and those who were not. Trujillo did this as a way to racially cleanse his country of the immigrants that were coming from Haiti. I think that the title of the poem represents the “Parsley Massacre”, as well as the differences and the fatal power of language because even though the two countries shared an island, they were very different from each other. I also thought that it could represent the genocide and the reason for the large assassination of a race. Another thing that I found interesting about the title was how it makes the poem seem so innocent but then when you read it, you’re blindsided with the fact that it’s about this horrible historical event. I think that Rita Dove was trying to understate this event in order to make the impact on the reader more powerful. On lines 68-70 Dove writes, “the general remembers the tiny green sprigs/ men of his village wore in their capes to honor the birth of a son”. Here, parsley is used to represent the joy/pride a father has when they have a son. These lines show a hint of irony because in most of the poem parsley is an allusion towards death rather than birth. However, in these lines the plant creates a sense of happiness, which is something that Trujillo does not have because of the lose of his mother and this causes him to go mad and order the killing of many.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your analysis on the symbolism of the word "parsley" within Doves poem. Some additional evidence to support your claim is with the symbolism and contrasting uses of the word "green". In the first reading, "The Farming of Bones", Danticat talks about how "Yves fell headfirst, coughing and choking. His face was buried in a puddle of green spew" (Danticat). Dove also uses the word green in part one of her poem to portray how the slaves would "come up green" (9); most likely referencing how parsley was shoved down the throats of slaves as mentioned in the earlier reading. However, in part two, Dove uses the word "green" in a completely opposite way. In line 64, Dove mentions how the feathers of the parrot arch into a "parody of greenery", and in line 70, "the tiny green sprigs men of his village wore in their capes to honor the birth of a son". These contrasting uses of the same word rigidly perpetuate the dichotomy between slavery and Trujillo's lifestyle.
DeleteIn Rita Doves "The Cane Fields", the use of symbolism is quite strong. The image of the cane fields symbolizes the enslavement and politics of the time that are found throughout the poem. The cane fields symbolize slavery, it's where many Haitians were sent to work, and where lots happened to die. The parrot could symbolize happiness or even hope, and as soon as it shows up, it's cut down. Even in the mess that is the swamp, there are little windows of beauty, but without the right mindset, they are invisible. For those that do see the parrot, there are glimmers of hope, that they can survive through the slavery and make it to freedom. When it says "for every drop of blood// there is a parrot imitating spring", it implies that sometimes through hardship, hope is strengthened rather than weakened
ReplyDeleteIn the poem “Parsley” by Rita Dove, she compares the luxurious and powerful life of General Trujillo to the depressing and short lives of Haitian slaves by using symbolism and repetition. Dove starts off the poem with, “There is a parrot imitating spring//in the palace, its feathers parsley green.” (1-2). This pet parrot kept in the palace symbolizes the wealth and power or General Trujillo. Stanzas 1-6 are written from the perspective of a Haitian slave, giving the reader a view into the trauma they face on a daily basis and all the damage General Trujillo has created. Dove writes, “El General searches for a word; he is all the world there is” (4-6). Trujillo is referred to as “El General”, already making him sound more powerful and commanding. During his dictatorship, he has bent the minds of the citizens and installed fear in all of them, making them think he is the world. Dove makes references to death and fear all throughout the first half of the poem, in reference to the massacre that later occurs. Dove paints the image that Trujillo is a vicious monster, only being satisfied when the Haitian slaves are killed. The second half of the poem is written from Trujillo’s perspective, as if the reader is inside his head. This shows the unknown reason for the General’s anger; his mother’s death. In contrast to the first half of the poem, Dove writes of wealth and luxury, filling the stanzas with pride and power in order to duplicate the mindset of Trujillo. Again, the parrot gets brought up. This time, it is perched on a brass ring, enhancing its meaning of wealth. Dove writes, “He orders pastries/brought up for the bird; they arrive/dusted with sugar on a bed of lace” (40-42). These pastries are for the pet bird, wasting the sugar the slaves have worked hard to harvest. This proves how much the Haitian slaves mean to General Trujillo. The second half of the poem hints to the death of the slaves and the poem is ended when Dove writes, “He will/order many, this time, to be killed/for a single, beautiful word.” (70-73).
ReplyDelete“Parsley” by Rita Dove conveys the inhumane treatment of slaves under General Trujillo’s command through her use of symbolism and motifs in repetition. The most prominent symbol in the poem is the word ‘parsley’, but Dove also uses the motif of death to portray Trujillo’s experience with the passing of his mother, and his treatment of his slaves working in the sugarcane field. During Trujillo’s rule, he forced Afro-Haitians to pronounce the word “perejil” to determine if they would live or die. Knowing that they would not be able to, due to their native tongue of Creole (a dialect of French), Trujillo would therefore rat out those who were not Dominican, but Haitian. The poem is divided into two parts, “The Cane Fields” and “The Palace” for the purpose of telling the story of Trujillo’s genocide through two distinct points of view; the view of the slaves and the view of Trujillo.
ReplyDeleteIn part one of the poem, “The Cane Fields”, Dove uses repetition of the lines “Out of the swamp the cane appears” (4 Dove) and “There is a parrot imitating spring” to instill in the mind of the reader, the fear that the slaves would endure upon seeing the cane of “El General”. In the final stanzas of part one, Dove writes “The cane appears in our dreams, lashed by wind and streaming. And we lie down. For every drop of blood there is a parrot imitating spring. Out of the swamp the cane appears” (16-20). In these final lines of “The Cane Fields”, Dove uses symbolism of the lashing “wind and streaming” to represent death and how it permeates so deeply into the lives of the slaves that it even reaches into their dreams.
In Rita Dove’s poem “Parsley”, she uses symbolism throughout the passage exposing the massacre of Haitians by the Dominican dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina. The beginning of the poem begins with “There is a parrot imitating spring / in the palace, its feathers parsley green. / Out of the swamp the cane appears. (1-3). This symbolism is reminded of wealth the parrot most likely a pet of the wealthy and the palace. Then takes a turn going to the “swamp” meaning somewhere tropical where sugar cane could grow but also the division of the people. The fifth stanza is the first use of the word parsley “El General has found his word: perejil.(13). Where those suspected of being Haitian would be shown and a sprig of parsley and asked what it was. Those who could said the R sound were considered Dominicans and those who did not say the R sound were killed instantly. In The Palace Dove seems to be humanizing Trujillo writing about his mother and that she passed in the fall and his dislike for sweets having to do with her making candies when she collapsed.
ReplyDeleteRita Dove’s poem, “Parsley”, illustrates the General Trujillo’s dehumanization of the Afro-Haitians in the Dominican Republic. The General’s sadistic nature is quickly brought up “As he paces he Who can I kill today”(29-30). It is quickly established that the general holds nearly no remorse for the Haitians and simply wants to kill them. His sadistic nature is emphasized as no just cause or reason given. Dove also quickly establishes how absurd the general's reasoning for hating the Haitians is “God knows his mother was no stupid; she could roll an R like a queen. Even a parrot can roll an R”(56-58). The general uses the Haitians inability to roll as as justification for their subsequent genocide. The general takes any opportunity to dehumanize the Haitians and deem them worthy to be killed. General's Trujillo's sadistic dehumanization of the Haitians serve as one the main aspects of “Parsley”.
ReplyDeleteIn Rita Dove’s poem “Persephone, Falling”, she writes about the Greek myth of Persephone and her mother, Demeter. In this poem Rita focuses on the exact moment where Hades captures Persephone. The title of the poem is very simple. It tells us the main character of the poem (Persephone) and the setting, which is the present moment where Persephone literally falls, as well as the metaphorical falling of her innocence and mother’s protection. Rita begins the poem saying, “one narcissus among the ordinary beautiful/ flowers, one unlike all the others!”. These two lines both start with the word “one” as in unique and is then referenced to the narcissus, which is a toxic daffodil. This line tells us that Persephone is on her own and trying to find something that will make her special and the source of this desire is the lone narcissus. Another thing about the first line is that it is a fragment, as in it does not contain a verb. This makes the reader focus more on the appearance of the flower as Persephone sees it and by withholding the action in the first line and then ending the second with the verb, we pay even more attention because we’ve been waiting for something to happen. In line 3, Rita uses repetition of the “R” sound, which makes the sentence seem like it is being said with a growling and strained voice. This voice could be her mother’s and how angered she is by what Persephone did. I think that the dash at the end of this line helps to build the anticipation of what is to come next. Rita then writes, “on his glittering terrible/ carriage, he claimed his fate.” (5-6). When Persephone first sees Hades, she is enchanted by his dangerous yet exciting appearance, which Dove describes using the juxtaposition, “glittering terrible”. When I read line 6, I thought of Cinderella and how when her carriage appeared it was a happy moment because she was being rescued, however Hades’s carriage may seem like a rescue but is actually harmful to Persephone. I thought that what was the most interesting part of the poem was line 7, which is, “It is finished. No one heard her.” In this line Rita makes an allusion to the last words that were spoken by Jesus when he died on the cross and by using this reference she is telling us how horrible this loss is to Demeter. In the last stanza, lines 9-12 are in parentheses, which makes me think that the speaker is actually taking the reader aside and is having an intimate conversation with us. We know that these lines are being said by a motherly figure, wether it by Demeter or Rita Dove’s own mother because of the cliche remarks. The speaker is giving us orders: “remember, go, stop”, which relates this poem to our own lives. Finally, in the last two lines Rita concludes that, “this is how easily the pit/ opens. This is how one foot sinks into the ground.” I think that the “this” in these two lines could be Persephone’s careless desire to be special by pulling on a toxic flower that ends up being the devil. However, it could also be Demeter’s over protecting self that geared her daughter into this wrongful path.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your literary analysis of the poem "Persephone, Falling", but I wonder, does the flower symbolize anything. In Greek times, the narcissus flower represented greed and vanity. This is because of the ancient myth of the beautiful man named Narcissus who could not stop looking at himself; ultimately leading to his demise. I think it's very possible that the narcissus flower in this poem can reference Persephone's naive inclinations, and Hades' self righteous view of himself. In the first stanza, Persephone "pulled, / stooped to pull harder-- / when, sprung out of the earth / on his glittering terrible / carriage, he claimed his due" (2-6 Dove). Hades' glittering carriage is attention seeking and vain, and his 'due' references the male complex of entitlement to women.
DeleteIn the poem “Heroes”, Rita Dove’s use of allusion and death related literary devices allow for her to convey a theme of the fatal tragedy of heroic action, all while creating a dominant effect of negativity in the vicious cycle of futility. The poem begins by establishing the setting of “A flower in a weedy field: / make it a poppy” (1-2 Dove). Already, Dove has alluded to the myth of Persephone, due to how Persephone was taken by Hades while picking flowers. In lines 2-9, the unnamed character addressed only by “you” has taken the liberty of picking the sole flower in hopes to preserve it. However, “Because it begins to wilt / you run to the nearest house to ask for a jar of water. / The woman on the porch starts / screaming: you’ve plucked the last poppy / in her miserable garden, the one / that gave her the strength every morning/ to rise...” (3-9) Once more on line 6, Dove has alluded to Demeter with the line “The woman on the porch”. Although I do not believe the poem is entirely in reference to the relationship between Persephone and Demeter, Dove uses the myth to bolster the idea of a seemingly heroic deed turned sour by fate. Seeing that the woman is clearly upset by the new absence of the final flower in her garden, the main character tries in vain to console her; aiding in the effect of the mood. In spite of the character’s efforts to mitigate the situation, they ultimately kill the woman by “[striking] her, [so that] she hits / her head on a white boulder,” (14-15). After this unprecedented, sudden climax to the story, the main character sees to “break the stone into gravel / to prop up the flower in the stolen jar” (17-18). I found it strangely ironic that same object, which killed the woman angered by the plucking of her flower, was used to sustain the life of that exact flower. The fact that the boulder was also white, alludes to death; being that white flowers are often given at funerals. In the final stanzas of the poem, the “hero”, knowing the consequences of their actions, flees. In the last lines the main character asks “O why / did you pick that idiot flower” to continue to answer “Because it was the last one / and you knew / it was going to die” (26-28). The flower in this poem symbolizes the perceived weakness of women and their pressing need to be saved. However, in this poem, Dove makes it clear that the actions of a “hero”, whether to save a flower or a person, are unneeded and often exacerbating.
ReplyDeleteIn the poem “Breakfast of Champions” by Rita Dove, she tells the story of a woman who has experienced tragedy and is in recovery from the horrible event. Though she never actually writes what had happened, I think the beauty of the poem is in the process of recovery and how this woman lives her day to day life. If Dove were to state exactly what happened, the readers view of the woman would be completely different. Instead, she uses diction to hint to this woman’s daily struggles. Dove writes, “Finally, overcast skies. I’ve crossed a hemisphere,//worked my way through petals and sunlight//to find a place fit for mourning” (1-3). Dove uses a hyperbole to show the great distance she has come since the incident, working her way through “petals and sunlight”, she has not yet had time to grieve and feel the full impact of what happened. This woman, like many others, uses alcohol to aid her stress. When Dove mentions alcohol in the fifth and sixth line, it adds a negative and depressing tone to the poem, revealing the hidden sorrow buried deep inside her. In the second stanza, Dove writes, “I rummage through the pantry’s//stock for raisins and cereal as they pull//honking out of the mist, a sonic hospital graph//announcing recovery” (9-11). The geese she describes “honking out of the mist” could also resemble a car, hinting to what may have occurred and caused this woman’s pain. Though at the end of this stanza, there is a dramatic shift in tone. The poem suddenly fills with positive diction and she states, “Arise, it’s a brand new morning!” (12). This might be a sign that the woman is healing and has begun her new life.
ReplyDeleteIn Rita Doves "Persephone, Falling" symbols, imagery, and wordplay were all used more than once. The poem consists of two parts, one consisting mainly of metaphors and symbols, while the other seems to be a flashback, a memory of a parent speaking to a child before sending them off to school. "This is how easily the pit // opens" seems to signify the norms of society, "keep your eyes down", the way people are expected to be. A narcissus is a white flower with a bright center. The flower signifies a person, molded by society on the outside, but having their true creativity pent up inside.
ReplyDeleteIn Rita Dove’s poem, “Primer”, she depicts her powerlessness during her youth and her will to become an adult and defend herself. Dove begins with illustration of youth “in the sixth grade I was chased home by/ the Gatlin kids, three skinny sisters/ in rolled down bobby socks. Hissing/ Braniac! and Mrs. Stringbean!, they trod my heel./ I knew my body was big deal/ but never thought to retort: who’s calling who skinny? (Besides, I knew/ they’d beat me up)” (Dove, 1-8). Dove describes herself as being constantly bullied. While she can't fight back, Dove aggravates her bullies despite being unable to fight back. Dove seeks to defend herself by any means, particularly with her words. Dove then describes her mother “I survived/ their shoves across the schoolyard/ because my five-foot-zero mother drove up/ in her Caddie to shake them down to size” (8-11). Dove’s strife is ended by her mother. While her mother has a diminutive stature, she's able to stop the bullies by simply being an adult. Children view adults with fear and respect, Dove’s bullies avoid confrontation with her mother due to the fear getting in trouble with an adult. “Nothing could get me into that car./ U room the long way home, swore/ I'd show them all: I would grow up.” (12-14). Dove avoids getting into the car because she refuses help. She view the power her mother holds and compares it to her own helplessness. She seeks adulthood in order to reach her ultimate goal, defending herself. Dove’s mother symbolizes the power to defend herself which she hopes to attain.
ReplyDeleteIn Rita Dove’s “Cozy Apologia”, she writes about a woman who is professing her love to another. I think that this is from the point of view of Rita Dove because the poem was written for her husband, Fred Viebahn. Rita adores this man so much that she has no words to describe her feelings, yet everything she sees brings her mind back to him. Rita writes, “there you’ll be, with furrowed brow/ and chain mail glinting, to set me free:/ one eye smiling, the other firm upon the enemy” (8-10). In these lines Rita is describing how whenever she feels trapped, this man is always there to rescue her. Rita continues to describe that her love for him is so powerful that it takes her away from the business oriented society that she lives in. In the second stanza, Rita Dove makes a reference to Hurricane Floyd, which was a powerful storm that happened along the east coast in 1999. This storm is then compared to her memories of crushes on teenage boys: drastic, but not enough to make a huge difference in her life. The metaphor, “ Big Bad Floyd, who brings a host/ of daydreams: awkward reminiscences/ of teenage crushes on worthless boys” (14-16) explains that just like a hurricane brings bad weather, it also bring back awkward memories. Also a hurricane has a huge front and then the eye of the storm, which is where the weather is calm. The boys that she had crushes on appeared charming but actually they only had a hollow center. Dove is trying to push away those memories in order to focus on the real love that she has with her husband. In the last stanza, Rita and Fred are safe in their home and are both very happy; just falling short of perfection. However, she is struggling to realize why anyone would want to settle for being ordinary. Dove and Viebahn often got ridiculed by society for who they chose to marry, as both come from different background. Rita is African American, and he is German and has lived in Germany for most of his life. She writes, “when has the ordinary ever been news?” (27), as if trying to say, that being ordinary doesn’t make you something worth people’s time. Dove knows that others have very strong opinions on this, but she is still not afraid to profess her love for him. The title of this poem, means “comforted apology”. I think the Rita Dove is sarcastically apologizing for not conforming to society's norms. She doesn’t understand why people would want to be traditional, so she is “cozy” with the fact that she is different. Dove is apologizing but is very content with the choices she has made.
ReplyDeleteIn Rita Dove’s “Chocolate”, she uses chocolate to symbolize a rushed relationship between her and a loved one. Chocolate is a sweet dessert that is savored and meant to be eaten in small amounts. It triggers a desire in the human brain like no other, raising dopamine levels and creating a certain hunger. This is very similar to craving love and human touch. Dove writes from the perspective of an eager individual who cannot help but indulge in the sweet reward and satisfaction of love. She writes, “How you numb me//with your rich attentions!//If I don’t eat you quickly,//you’ll melt in my palm” (4-7). These lines exemplify the yearning for this love, how the “chocolate” numbs her of her pains and struggles and gives her happiness. This feeling pulls her away from real life and acts as a lovely distraction. As she becomes engulfed in this love, she craves more. This temptation leads her to make rash decisions and rush blindly into this unknown love. Dove writes, Enough chatter: I am ready to fall in love!” (15-16). She ends the poem with this line and finalizes it with an exclamation point. This shows her excitement and confidence in this decision, while also reflecting the rush it has given her.
ReplyDeleteIn the poem “Sic Itur Ad Astra”, Rita Dove’s use of symbolism and visual imagery create a theme of despair and depression amongst the daily trials of life. In the first stanza, Dove writes, “Bed, where are you flying to? / I went to sleep / nearly an hour ago, / and now I’m on a porch / open to the stars!” (1-5 Dove). In these first few lines of the poem, Dove has used the narrator’s bed as a symbol for dreams--in a setting of sleep--and how they so often can fly into the stars, leaving the narrator behind. In stanza two, Dove uses the simile of the narrator’s “...nightshirt / fluttering white as a sail” (10-11) to compare the narrator to a boat; symbolizing their wandering and transient life. The visual imagery used to describe the nightshirt further emphasizes the effect of this symbol in the poem. In the third stanza, the narrator is questioning whether the world will notice their dreams, their effect on life. This question is universal and I believe is one that most people will shout into the void at some point within their lives. At the beginning of the fourth stanza, the narrator begins desperately calling out to their bed to return, saying “I need you! I don’t know my way” (18). This represents how the narrator may be attempting to reconcile with their dreams, although their actions are in vain. The narrator proceeds to then ask for the bed to “...leave [their] pillow / behind to remind [them] / what affliction [they’ve] fled --” (19-21). At this point in the poem, the narrator has become completely saddened and desperate for any form of their dream, even though it is gone already.
ReplyDeleteIn “Eliza, Age 10, Harlem Rita Dove conveys the emotions of a young girl who hopes to grow soon. I think Dove uses the opening stanza to perfectly reflect a child's reaction when the size is picked at “ I'm not small like they say,/ those withered onions on the stoop/ clucking there sorrowful tongues./ I'm concentrated. I'm a sweet/ package of love.”(1-5). Eliza, like any child, is very defensive of her stature, the second and third lines of the stanza reflects by her insulting the older people who made comments at her height. Eliza uses the excuse the she is concentrated rather than small as a childish way to support herself. The last stanza reflects her eagerness to grow “Yes,/ I am my grandma’s sugar pea/ and someday I'm gonna pop: right out-and then, boy:, you better jump back”(11-15). Currently Eliza is young and precious especially to her grandmother but she also knows she'll eventually grow. The last two line are used to show that when Eliza grows boys but also the world should be ready.
ReplyDeleteIn Rita Dove’s, “Describe Yourself in Three Words or Less”, she writes in a very definite tone because even though the title is asking you to describe yourself in just three words, structurally she does it in three stanzas. This shows that she does not want to follow the rules of society. Dove goes on to write about how she refuses to be categorized, she writes, “I’m not the kind of person who praises/ openly, or for profit; I’m not the kind who will steal a scene unless/ I’ve designed it. I’m not a kind at all.” (1-4). In these lines Rita uses repetition of the word “kind” in order to emphasis the fact that she refuses to be described as one specific type or “kind” of person. In the next lines she opposes these traits by saying, “I’m itchy and pug-willed,/ gnarled and wrong-headed,/ never amorous but possessing/ a wild, thatched soul.” (5-8). These adjectives contradict the stereotype of women because we are seen as very emotional and soft people, but Rita Dove is describing herself as being the exact opposite. In the second stanza, Dove writes, “whether they drift off/ maddened, moon-rinsed,/ or dock in the mourning/ scuffed and chastened-/ is simply how it is, and I gather them in.” (11-15). She is using boats as a metaphor for her thoughts. Rita Dove is arguing with the stereotype that all women think about the same thing no matter who they are. However, in this case Dove argues that her thoughts are scattered and some are beautiful, while others are dark and beaten. She also argues that her thoughts are at the mercy of the wind, which means that they are hard to control. In the last stanza, Dove writes, “then I sing to the bright-beaked bird outside,/ then to the manicured spider” (17-19). Rita uses personification in order to describe that these animals are not normal and therefore can not be stereotyped because of their unique qualities. Lastly, Dove ends the poem saying, “then I will stop, and forget the singing./ (See? I have already forgotten you.)” (21-22). In these lines she is speaking to society and is reinstating the fact that she is not going to limit herself to just three words and is not going to care about what society thinks of her.
ReplyDeleteIn Rita Dove’s “Meditation at Fifty Yards, Moving Target”, she divides the poem up, giving each section a new title. The first section is called, “Safety First”. Dove writes of gun safety and the precautions one must take before handling a gun. This is the stage where the holder is just beginning to get familiar with the gun, they may be intimidated by it or scared to use it. Though, Dove writes this from the perspective of someone who has heard these rules several times and she almost makes fun of these directions. She writes, “Assume a loaded barrel, even when it isn’t, especially when you know it isn’t” (2-3). She ends this stanza by describing a scenario which makes the reader feel as if this person has used a gun many times before and is comfortable with it. Dove writes, “You could wound the burglar and kill your child sleeping in the next room, all with one shot” (12-13). In the next section, “Open Air”, Dove replicates the feeling and freedom of shooting without these guidelines constantly restraining the shooter. These two stanzas show the hint of fear and hesitation while using the gun, but describes the pleasure and rush of using the gun. This makes the activity all so real and proves the power of a gun can change a person and their actions.
ReplyDeleteIn “Heart to Heart” Rita Dove describes the importance of the heart and what it truly means to give a heart. Dove begins the poem by describe what the heart isn't “It’s neither red/ nor sweet./ It doesn't melt/ or turn over,/ break or harden,/ so it can't feel/ pain,/ yearning,/ regret” (Dove, 1-9). I think Dove does this in order to address and denounce the cliches of the heart. The heart is unable to feel emotion of undergo a dramatic change. Dove later does this with with cliche actions that the heart is believed to feel “I can't wear it/ on my sleeve,/ or tell you from the bottom of it/ how I feel” (24-28). Dove uses this to again deconstruct stereotypes associated with the heart. Now the stereotypes deal with actions the heart is believed to take. The deconstruction puts emphasis on the heart's primary function and purpose, regulating blood flow and in turn keeping a person alive. Lastly Dove briefly describes an exchange of hearts “ Here,/ it all yours, now-/ but you'll have to take me, too” (28-32). Dove first uses figurative language here. She depicts herself giving her heart and in turn her very life to a trusted person. This trusted person must then also take Dove along with heart.
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