Chaya's AP Lang Blog

In the poem “Tour” by Carol Snow, an antithesis and an inverted sentence is used in conjunction with a curious and pondering tone to establish the message that everything in life can be viewed from different perspectives. In this short and sweet poem, the speaker contrasts the actions that went into the creation of the beautiful scene in front of them; did the man sweep the path and then place the flowers, or simply sweep between the flowers? Thinking deeper, one could ask if the man was cleaning up in order to place objects of beauty there to enhance it, or was he clearing up the dirt around it to reveal the beauty that was already there and let it shine? This antithesis causes the reader to ponder and realize that any situation could be thought about from two sides, and there are possible explanations to any given scenario. The use of the inverted sentence, “near a shrine in Japan, he’d swept the path,” in comparison with the last sentence, “he’d swept the path between the fallen cam...

Jim Daniels’ poem, “Wheels,” rouses a nostalgic tone with his use of repetition and symbols to convey the despair that comes along with the memories of a lost one. The symbol of the different cars throughout the poem symbolizes the passing of time and the rites of passage that one goes through during a lifetime.  For example, “In his Mercury Montego getting married,” or, “In his black LTD trying to sell real estate,” showing different aspects of his life as he grows older. The poem is written from the view of photographs, or a camera, which symbolize memories and the way one remembers a loved one, bringing up that nostalgic feeling of looking back at the past. The repetition of the word “waving” after almost every sentence emphasizes the way that the speaker views these memories; always remembering the loved one in a state of happiness, frozen in time forever. The speaker’s despair comes in the last stanza, where the speaker is mourning that this final memory ends abruptly, becau...

“The Partial Explanation” by Charles Simic displays the emotions that come along with loneliness and solitude by using descriptive diction that creates a lonely and impatient mood. Simic uses words like “long time, snow, and darker” to convey a dark and gloomy atmosphere, which reflects the speaker’s attitude. Using descriptive words, like the “grimy little luncheonette,” the speaker is able to form a picture that the readers could associate with; a quiet, lonely place where one sits all alone. He says that he sits “at this table I chose myself upon entering,” showing that he chose to sit alone, yet is still sad and unsatisfied with the situation. The double usage of the word “longing” emphasizes his yearning for company, and even though he chose to be alone, he wishes his life were not like this. The diction in this poem is what helps bring across the emotions and feelings of lonesomeness and solitude.

Laurel Blossom uses short cut-off sentences with informal diction and a great deal of repetition in her poem, “Radio,” which assists in conveying the feeling of helplessness in trying to protect yourself and your property from those around you. The short sentences and format of the poem make it seem like a note that the speaker left in their car, in attempt to ward off burglars. It helps the reader empathize with the speaker’s situation and associate those feelings with their own lives, as does the informal diction. Continuously repeating the words “no radio,” the speaker is displaying the feeling of having to plead and prove that there is nothing of value for someone to steal, so they shouldn’t even bother. The speaker's sense of despair comes from when they say “radio gone, note hole in dashboard,” because they have already felt like they have been violated and don’t want to experience that again. The use of diction and short sentences aid the speaker in conveying this sense of v...

R.T. Smith uses a regretful and remorseful tone in his poem “Neglect,” and uses an extended metaphor of the apple tree and vivid imagery to impart the message that one must not take for granted the things important to them in life, because you don’t know what you have until it's gone. The speaker recalls the sense of loss and longing they have over their precious apple tree that they neglected to take care of and appreciate, and wants to beseech the reader not to do the same. Smith uses strong imagery to show how devastating it was that the apple tree was lost, and the strong emotions that came along with it, like “skew the sap’s passage, blacken leaves, dry the bark and heart.” This conveys a gloomy and mournful tone, showing how dark everything is without this important fixture in their life. One must take extra measures to love and appreciate the important people and things in our lives, because “death is inevitable for any living being unloved, untended.” By detailing the met...

In “The Poet,” Tom Wayman uses a catalog style poem, together with a witty and slightly critical tone, to paint a picture of the personality and skills of a poet. He formats the poem in a way that lists all of a poet’s perceived weaknesses, such as that he “may speak much but makes little sense” or “does not understand was he reads.” These might seem true to an outsider observing a poet, but in reality, real poets know how to analyze and dissect poetry better than anyone else, yet sometimes they aren’t able to easily express their thoughts and feelings to others. Poets can spend weeks and weeks analyzing one poem, and although it may seem like they do not understand or cannot comprehend it, they are really just delving into the depths of the poem so much more than the average person. Poets “may recognize a word one day and not the next” because they could find numerous interpretations for words and phrases that could change the whole meaning of a poem. This poem sounds similar and is...

In “At the Un-National Monument Along the Canadian Border” by William Stafford, peaceful imagery is used to create a calm and reflective tone, which is used to bring out the message of peace and that the best type of monument is one in a place where nothing ever happened. The speaker starts from the beginning by describing a perfect, untouched field that conveys a serene and still feeling. The field is where “grass joined hands,” seeming to be a piece of land between the U.S. and Canadian borders. This field, lying in the middle of two countries has experienced no fatalities, no wars, and no violence. It has the potential to become a breeding ground for hatred and fighting, but instead, “no monument stands.” There is nothing that needs to be commemorated in this place, and its inner glory is allowed to shine through, as shown in the line, “the only heroic thing is the sky.” The imagery used with the birds “unfolding their wings across the open” visualizes a place where there is absol...

Ron Koertge uses illustrative imagery and cliches in his poem, “Do You Have Any Advice For Those of Us Just Starting Out?,” which creates an empowering, carefree tone, enumerating the message that the best way to become a great writer is to go out, break all of the rules, be original and fearless. In the second stanza, the speaker starts of with their advice by saying that the best type of notebook to have is a cheap one, “with pages the color of weak tea,” and with “a kitten or a spaceship” on the cover. The message is that you don’t need any fancy materials to become a great writer, all you need is to stand out and have a great idea. Everyone remembers having those graphic notebooks in elementary school, and his message is that inspiration and greatness could stem from anyone, anywhere, with anything. In the third stanza he writes that you should avoid enclosed spaces “where more than three people are wearing turtlenecks.” Aside from the humor in this image, this gives a sense of u...