In this, somewhat unusually structured poem, Rita Dove introduces a speaker who strongly seems like he or she is describing an old picture from when the speaker was in fifth grade. Once again, Rita Dove does not reveal the sex of the speaker. Therefore the reader will assume the speaker is a female. Throughout the poem, the speaker describes what seems to be like an old family picture where she stands among her grandparents as well as her brother. Rita Dove succeeds into making this informational looking poem bear a much more significant meaning hidden within the verses. For example the eighth and ninth verse become so much more personal as the speaker says:
-“and I know”.
Here, it almost does not matter what follows these three words.
-“and I know”.
Here, it almost does not matter what follows these three words.