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Analyzing Two Poems

I knew whatever was in front of me was

happening
The flashes, and the siren resulted in fear of persona in the poem. The siren and the roar sound
happen whenever an accident occurs and people get injuries. The police rush with sirens on their
vehicles when somebody becomes unconscious. The siren and the roar sound symbolize danger
like fire or an accident. The theme of fear is demonstrated the person in the play cries since he is
unable to talk or move. Fear results when a person is afraid of danger that seems to attack their
life. The second theme is hopelessness where the person the poem is in unconscious state and
cannot drive himself. The person is just being bed ridden since he cannot walk. The person
recovers after first aid treatment. The theme of care is demonstrated when the police men rush to
the scene to save lives. The sirens are used by emergence vehicles on roads so that vehicles can
pave way for them to save lives. The road accident occurred as a result of over speeding. The
person recovered after receiving first aid.

The Speaker

The speaker in this poem is the writer of the poem. The speaker writes the poem describing what
happened to him when he was driving. Claudia Rankine is the writer of the poem. The main
characters in the poem include the writer and the police officers.

Main ideas

The poem is created based on one scene that happened to the writer. The ideas are from writer’s
imagination since he says that he was over speeding and again contradicts the statement by
saying that he was not over speeding. The poem involves sirens that represents emergency. The
persona explain that emergency occurred when he was opening his briefcase on the passenger
seat. The police men ordered the victims in the scene to lift up their hands for easy identification.
The unconscious were ridden in the police car till they received first aid for recovery.

Metaphor

Metaphor is an action that involves using unclear word to mean something different.
Fingerprinting is used as a metaphor since it means treatment or first aid.

The persona in the poem is said to swallow emergency which means that the person was
involved in danger.

Smile is seen when the police officer pulls the persona from the scene.
Alliteration is repetition of initial consonant sounds for example: “Put your hands where they can
be seen. Put your hands in the air. Put your hands up.” The initial consonant p is repeated
severally.

Repetition is the occurrence of one word several times. For example: “Put your hands where they
can be seen. Put your hands in the air. Put your hands up.” The word put has been repeated
several times.

Contradiction for example: “I must have been speeding. No, you weren't speeding. I wasn't
speeding?” The two sentences contradict each other.

“CITIZEN, AN AMERICAN LYRIC”

Themes
Theme of anger is revealed when the woman on the door step shouts loudly to the person in her
house. She tells the person to vacate from her house. The poem also involve guidance and
counselling to people with trauma disease. The woman described in the poem carries out her
activities in the beautiful compound with grass and rosemary flowers.
Theme of concern is revealed in the way the therapist is merciful for the incoming patients. She
sympathizes by saying sorry.
The speaker
The speaker in the writer who explains the new therapist in her guidance and counselling work.
The author of the poem is Claudia Rankine.
Main ideas
The therapists in the poem does guidance and counselling to patients with trauma. Her house is
surrounded by a compound with grass and rosemary flowers. When entering her house you have
to long press the round disk so that the bell may ring. Every person in need of seeing the
therapist has to make an appointment with her.
Figures of speech
Personification is portrayed when the door is said to open on its own when the bell is rang.
Music words
Assonance is the repetition of initial consonant sounds; for example “I am sorry.
I am so sorry.” Vowel “I” is repeated twice.
Alliteration refers to the repetition of initial consonant sounds; for example “so, so sorry.”
Consonant S is repeated thrice.
Repetition; for example. “I am sorry. I am so sorry, so, so sorry.” The word sorry has been
repeated severally.