In the poem “Sestina” by Elizabeth Bishop, revolves around the inescapable nature of death. Bishop illustrates loss through her use of diction, imagery, and symbolism. By titling the poem Sestina, Bishop presents herself as being straightforward; using her poem structure as the main title. In fact, Bishop uses the procedure of a sestina to her own benefit by emphasizing the idea of following the rules, in relation to how you cannot break the content of her poem; the cycle of death. Bishop sets the mood through the opening of the poem -“September rain falls on the house, In the failing light, the old grandmother sits in the kitchen with the child”, the phrase failing light indicates the setting to be at night and also demonstrates a negative
