RR5-poetry : Mikhail Reid

This poem by e.e. Cummings is a great example of extended metaphor. On the surface, the poem appears to be about a driver’s excitement to drive a new car. The use of the pronoun “she” could be man’s tendency to refer to an automobile as feminine. Upon further examination, it becomes convincing that the poem is actually an extended metaphor for a man’s sexual experience with a woman, and the woman is possibly a virgin.

The poem “Coming Home, Detroit, 1968″ by Phillip Levine is also talking about a man in a car driving. This poem sets a sad tone especially when they said “A winter Tuesday, the city pouring fire, Ford Rouge sulfurs the sun, Cadillac, Lincoln,Chevy gray”. which could  be talking about the factory smoke is covering the sky to point you cant see the sun and just leave the city to look dark and cold.  The other line was “One brown child stares and stares into your frozen eyes”, which seems that the child is helpless and seeking for better days to come in the city.

Both poems have similarity and difference. For one they both talking about cars in a metamorphic way but at the same time e.e. Cummings talking in a good experience while Phillip Levine is going experience a rough time in Detroit as he watched his city going down the wrong path.

One thought on “RR5-poetry : Mikhail Reid

  1. rmichals

    It is interesting how a very similar experience-driving a car-can be transformed either into a metaphor for something very pleasurable or something tragic.

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