Identify the main sound device employed by the poet, and discuss the effect it has by referring to 3 examples from the poem.

Small Passing - Ingrid de Kok.
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Of course, I can help you analyze the main sound device employed in the poem "Small Passing" by Ingrid de Kok and its effect on the reader. To do this, we need to identify the sound device and then analyze its effect by referring to three examples from the poem.

To begin, let's read through the poem and identify the sound device used by the poet.

*Small Passing* by Ingrid de Kok

it is not your passing skin
purple or green or yellow
passing the decay of the sea

but rolling sun-fire on her back
ascending, snarling, as metal
toward the gangrene of the earth

To identify the sound device, we should look for recurring patterns, such as rhyme, alliteration, consonance, or assonance.

In this poem, the main sound device employed by the poet is alliteration. Alliteration occurs when a series of words in a line or lines have the same initial consonant sound. It creates a musicality and emphasizes the words or phrases it is used with.

Now, let's discuss the effect of alliteration in the poem by looking at three examples:

1. "passing the decay of the sea" - Here, the alliteration of the "p" sound in "passing" and "sea" creates a gentle, flowing sound. It evokes the image of the sea slowly deteriorating or decaying.

2. "rolling sun-fire on her back" - In this line, the repetition of the "r" sound emphasizes the rolling motion of the sun and adds a sense of power or energy. It also creates a vivid image in the reader's mind.

3. "snarling, as metal toward the gangrene" - The repeated "s" sound in "snarling" and "metal" and the repeated "t" sound in "metal" and "toward" contribute to a harsh and aggressive tone. The alliteration mimics the sound of a snarl and reinforces the negative connotations of "gangrene" and "decay."

Overall, the use of alliteration in "Small Passing" by Ingrid de Kok helps create a musical rhythm, emphasize certain words or phrases, and evoke specific images or feelings. It adds to the richness and depth of the poem's meaning.