Rita Dove Research Paper

“If we’re going to solve the problems of the world, we have to learn to talk to one another. Poetry is language at its essence. Its the bones and skeleton of the language. It teaches you, if nothing else, how to choose your own words,” explains Rita Dove (Rita Dove Quotes). Rita Dove is an inspiration to all people who have a voice and want to be heard. Not only has she published many poems she also published a book of short stories (Rita Dove 1). In writing these poems and stories she has received countless awards and honors. Rita Dove has many stories about her life and she lives to tell them today.

Rita Dove’s story began on August 28, 1954. Dove was the second of four children in her family. Her father was a research chemist, and both her parents thought education was very important. At age ten Rita Dove began to play cello, playing music inspired her to write poetry.”(Rita Dove 2) “I think music was one of those first experiences I had of epiphany, of something beyond, deeper than rational sense”, Rita Dove explains (Rita Dove Biography). Rita Dove’s …show more content…
She explains how the world was before and everything was new. Dove also tells the reader how lucky she was to be living in this time. Like many of her other poems Testimonial is written in free verse. In this specific poem Rita uses alliteration in line 12, where she says “Swooned between spoonfuls of lemon sorbet.” She emphasizes the consonant sound of the letters. Likewise, another example would be in line thirteen and fourteen where she says “I was pirouette and flourish, I was Filigree and flame.” In addition, assonance is used in line three and four where she states, “Back when names of things hadn't had time to stick.” Rita uses personification in line nine “The world called.” She also uses the metaphor “Heaven just a whisper.” In conclusion Rita Dove’s poem “Testimonial” is one of her many great