RSS FeedThe Race
This poem appealed to me because within the first five lines Olds has already established a frantic, suspenseful tone that makes the reader want to find out what happens. She uses extraordinary imagery throughout the poem in describing her difficult and hectic situation, comparing her journey to “a fish slipping upstream deftly against the flow of the river” (14-16). The lines run smoothly together and enable the reader to travel with her every step through the airport. Something that struck me about this poem was the simple, yet eloquent, language used. The poem was so easy to read and understand compared for example to the next poem in the packet by Shakespeare in which I had to read some of the lines several times before attempting to figure out the meaning of them. However, the simple diction is intertwined with eloquent language which creates images to illustrate and explicate her changing situations and emotions.
- Will Daughtrey's blog
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The Race (continues)
I think that this poem does a very effective job of setting up a scene that is easy for the reader to follow and get pulled into. The way that the lines of the poem flow from one to the next without punctuation seems to add to the hectic feeling that is established in the opening few lines. The poem slows down at the end when the writer has finally reached their destination. The last few lines are much shorter than the rest and there are a lot more commas to imply a break in the reading. I think that while the poem was written with a tempo that comes off as hectic and crazy, the end of it shows the true point of the poem, which was for the writer to be with the father. The title, "The Race," I think also has a very significant meaning in that the writer is racing to catch the plane on time, yet also racing to be by their father's side in time.
The Race
I agree with Will about this poem in that there is a frantic and desperate feeling from the very begining which anyone who has lost a loved one can relate to. I also believe that lines 12-14, "I ran, I who have no sense of direction raced exactly where he'd told me" proves that in a hysterical situation, one can perform tasks that they normally would be unable to perform. Finally, the use of the italicized font in line 23 for the phrase "help me" completes her feeling of desperation. She was ready and willing to give up anything to see her father one last time.
The Race
I don't know if I agree totally that the frantic nature of the poem is a great miror for a race. I feel as though a race is a more controlled logical activity. While I do agree the poem sets up a truely frantic situation lacking true forsight with a great fealing of desperation I feel as though a the title doesn't really fit in the since that a race is a more controlled situation even though it may have an element of franticness to it.