Homework Help: English-Friendship Poem

Posted by Sara on Wednesday, April 7, 2010 at 8:53pm.

Here is another poem:

the competition-by patricia young

At times the competition was fierce
between Cheri and me.
Had to be equal in all things.
Neither could bear
that the other could run
faster, picker a raspberry bush cleaner,
that the other's mind could scrape
the bottom of language, discover
the only seven-letter word
comprised entirely
of consonants.

Take skipping, take double dutch.
If she jumped 421 times without stopping
I'd jump 422, maybe 423, before collapsing on the pavement.

Compared report cards, number of cavities, valentines. Take boys.

We don't need them, we've got eachother.~this text is italically written

Dear Cheri: Your cupped hands held me like water. Can't remember when we began slipping through each other's fingers.

Questions:

what's the message in this narrarative poem?

The message in this narrarative poem is that it tells you that friendship can have many angles to it. On one side it's good and on the other it's bad. Frienship can have the emotions love and hatred. In friendship you can develop the feeling of wanting to be the "best". With this feeling, you won't gain much, but lose a lot.

Can you please reword this or point me to the right direction of what is actually being asked. I don't like my first sentence; it kind of looks awkward.

What poetic devices do you notice in it?

-simile-cupped hand
-allusion

Are there any other poetic devices in here. All your help will be appreciated, thanks

English-Friendship Poem - Sara, Wednesday, April 7, 2010 at 8:59pm
Sorry, I forgot about the other two questions here they are:

what is the poet suggesting by using "Dear Cheri" in the last stanza?

I don't really understand this question.

how effective for you is the imagery in the last stanza?

Very effective because it gets you to visualise of how cheri and her friend were always together with eachother, until that jealously began to take place and seperation made place.

Any other info would be appreciated, thanks
English-Friendship Poem - Ms. Sue, Wednesday, April 7, 2010 at 9:02pm
You're doing great! I don't see anything awkward about your first sentence.

Isn't this a poetic device?

"could scrape
the bottom of language"
English-Friendship Poem - Sara, Wednesday, April 7, 2010 at 9:04pm
would that be an onomatopheia or personification?

could you also help me with the suggesting one
English-Friendship Poem - Ms. Sue, Wednesday, April 7, 2010 at 9:08pm
I see the "Dear Cheri" line as being a way of breaking off their friendship. Perhaps competition is not a good foundation for a friendship.

I don't think it's either onomatopheia or personification. Isn't "scrape the bottom of language" an example of metaphor?
English-Friendship Poem - Sara, Wednesday, April 7, 2010 at 9:18pm
Thank you Ms. Sue:-)
English-Friendship Poem - Ms. Sue, Wednesday, April 7, 2010 at 9:23pm
You're welcome, Sara.

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