write a 750 word critical analysis of the poem. in your analysis, discuss the poem's literary qualities, explaining how the poet uses poetic devices, such as word choice, point of view,symbolism, repetition, tone, imagery, irony, overstatement. begin the paper with a concise thesis statement. a void merely paraphrasing the poem,base your reading on an interpretation of details .avoid merely paraphrasing the poem. base your reading on an interpretation of details rather than general discussion. concentrate on constructing a precise,focused argument.
the essay should have a strong thesis statement , and a clear structure. your thesis statement should state explicitly what you are going to examine and why an analysis of what you have chosen to examine is important in the understanding of the poem. use examples from the poem to develop your thesis .
Judy Grahn(b.1940)
Ella, in a square apron along Highway 80
She’s a copperheaded waitress,
tired and sharp-worded, she hides
her bad brown tooth behind a wicked
smile, and flicks her ass
out of habit, to fend off the pass
that passes for affection.
She keeps her mind the way men
keep a knife – keen to strip the game
down to her size. She has a thin spine,
swallows her eggs cold, and tells lies.
She slaps a wet rag at the truck drivers
if they should complain. She understands
the necessity for pain, turns away
the smaller tips, out of pride, and
keeps a flask under the counter. Once,
she shot a lover who misused her child.
Before she got out of jail, the courts had pounced
and given the child away. Like some isolated lake,
her flat blue eyes take care of their own stark
bottoms. Her hands are nervous, curled, ready
to scrape. |
