The majority of people can relate to losing someone in their life that was close to them and having to let them go, whether it be in the form of failed love or death. In the process of coping after a loss there are many different emotions and thoughts that an individual can be overwhelmed with. In the two poems, “Head, Heart” by Lydia Davis and “Divorce” by Billy Collins the poets’ examine the similar concept of losing someone and being faced with letting them go, but Davis selects aural qualities and Collins chooses figurative language to express their inner feelings over this subject which are the poems one difference. These differences may be accounted by the fact that Collins’s form consist of figurative language to express losing and letting
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Collins uses only metaphors to convey his purpose of losing someone in life. The poem “Divorce” contains three different metaphors. The first one he uses is “two spoons in bed” his choices of this metaphor is meant to represent two individuals that are in love and the spoons are meant to stand for support and togetherness (462). The next metaphor he uses is “now tined forks across the table” the two forks act as the same two individuals that were in love, but now have grown apart and their love is slowly slipping away to the point that they no longer love each other (462). Collins selects the forks to describe two people falling out of love because forks are incapable of holding things and in the process of attempting to hold something it typically slip through their prongs, just like their love is slipping away. The final metaphor he uses in the poem is “and the knives they have hired” this last metaphor is meant to act as the two lawyers that they have hired (462). Just as the spoons and forks the knives also have a deeper meaning also. The lawyers are described as the knives because they are known for separating and dividing items, which is the lawyer’s main objective. Collins purpose of using nothing, but metaphors is to make the reader to take a deeper look at the poem and use their mind. He wanted the reader to be able to make their own interpretation of what the spoons, forks, and knives deeper …show more content…
The first aural quality that is noticed while reading this poem aloud is the repetition of the words head, heart, and help. She purposely repeats these three words for emphasis. She wants the reader to know what exactly the poem is about, a heart feeling pain and a head trying to help. The three repeated words in this poem are also tied to the next aural quality she uses which is alliteration of the sound of the letter H. Davis uses alliteration to create a rhythm and make the poem flow. She also uses the alliteration to call attention to the three repeated words when read aloud. The last quality she uses in the poem is the parallel phrasing in the line “Help, head. Help heart” (452). Parallel phrasing was used because it has close to the similar effect as repetition and alliteration. It adds rhythm and creates a flow. The parallel phrase is like the cherry on top at the end of the poem and sums up the main idea that Davis is trying to get across to the reader. In the end Davis’s main point in uses aural qualities is to play to the reader’s senses, to make the poem smooth and easy to read and understand when read out
Collins uses only metaphors to convey his purpose of losing someone in life. The poem “Divorce” contains three different metaphors. The first one he uses is “two spoons in bed” his choices of this metaphor is meant to represent two individuals that are in love and the spoons are meant to stand for support and togetherness (462). The next metaphor he uses is “now tined forks across the table” the two forks act as the same two individuals that were in love, but now have grown apart and their love is slowly slipping away to the point that they no longer love each other (462). Collins selects the forks to describe two people falling out of love because forks are incapable of holding things and in the process of attempting to hold something it typically slip through their prongs, just like their love is slipping away. The final metaphor he uses in the poem is “and the knives they have hired” this last metaphor is meant to act as the two lawyers that they have hired (462). Just as the spoons and forks the knives also have a deeper meaning also. The lawyers are described as the knives because they are known for separating and dividing items, which is the lawyer’s main objective. Collins purpose of using nothing, but metaphors is to make the reader to take a deeper look at the poem and use their mind. He wanted the reader to be able to make their own interpretation of what the spoons, forks, and knives deeper …show more content…
The first aural quality that is noticed while reading this poem aloud is the repetition of the words head, heart, and help. She purposely repeats these three words for emphasis. She wants the reader to know what exactly the poem is about, a heart feeling pain and a head trying to help. The three repeated words in this poem are also tied to the next aural quality she uses which is alliteration of the sound of the letter H. Davis uses alliteration to create a rhythm and make the poem flow. She also uses the alliteration to call attention to the three repeated words when read aloud. The last quality she uses in the poem is the parallel phrasing in the line “Help, head. Help heart” (452). Parallel phrasing was used because it has close to the similar effect as repetition and alliteration. It adds rhythm and creates a flow. The parallel phrase is like the cherry on top at the end of the poem and sums up the main idea that Davis is trying to get across to the reader. In the end Davis’s main point in uses aural qualities is to play to the reader’s senses, to make the poem smooth and easy to read and understand when read out