Did I Miss Anything? is written in an alternating two voice form to contrast the perspectives of a teacher and a student while Ex-Basketball Player chronicles the life of a former basketball player. Both poems are composed in a stanza format in which lines are arranged into a unit. However, the two poems are constructed in very different ways to effectively convey their message. In Did I Miss Anything?, the poet conveys the message that students need to take their responsibility to learn by presenting the two different perspectives of the lazy students and the passionate teachers. Throughout the poem, each stanza begins with “Nothing” and “Everything” and the repetition of these opposite answers to the question emphasizes two opposing perspectives
