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In the poem, “Forgetfulness” by Billy Collins, he uses the word “slipping” to show his memory is slowly slithering away (12). This suggests that change is just out of his grasp and slowly fading away. Had Collins used the words “going away” it would have appeared to not be as dramatic and important to demonstrating forgetting. Correspondingly, in “Once More to the Lake” White writes using the words, “crackling” and “drenched” to explain the sounds during the thunderstorm that creates irony about aging. Instead of the camp feeling older, he feels that he is the one who has aged (5). This demonstrates, how White is brought to reality about himself aging because of a similar moment from his childhood that his son is now experiencing, swimming in the lake after a heavy rainfall. Likewise, the poem demonstrates the author’s knowledge of powerful diction by using the words “poised” and “lurking” when describing the behavior of memories (Collins 15-16). This creates an understanding of how it is becoming harder and harder to reminisce after time has passed. The powerful diction gives a sense that it is now impossible to get these memories back. Furthermore, White’s essay includes the word, “jarred” when explaining a note in the motors (4). This diction proves how the author feels about time moving forward because he says that this annoying sound is the one thing that breaks the illusion that times have changed at the lake. Had White not despised the fact that life around him had changed he would not have pointed out the sound and described it as irritable. The variety of powerful diction through both pieces of writing demonstrate the many changes happening in both author’s