After all, there's no need
to say anything
at first. An orange, peeled
and quartered, flares
like a tulip on a wedge wood plate
Anything can happen.
Outside the sun
has rolled up her rugs
and night strewn salt
across the sky. My heart
is humming a tune
I haven't heard in years!
Quiet's cool flesh--
let's sniff and eat it.
There are ways
to make of the moment
a topiary
so the pleasure's in
walking through.
Rita Dove’s poem, “Flirtation”, there is no natural rhyme or rhythm. Instead, the way the words are set up leaves a passionate meaning behind the poem, making an emphasis on the subject without the use of sound devices. The poem is a free verse poem, letting the low of the words travel down on the paper. Because of this, there is a reason why the poem has no natural rhyme or rhythm.
In the poem, there is no natural rhyme scheme or rhythm, but it helps the poem stand out. All poems do not need a rhythm in order to make sense. In the poem, Dove separates the sentences, giving it a bit of effect. The way she separates the first sentence, “After all, there’s no need to say anything at first.”, she interrupts the third line. This gives a transition in meaning. She goes on with one thing, but then she transfers into another thing. The second sentence (lines 3-5) shows another idea, but it is irrelevant at first, but when the audience can see that “Anything can happen”, the audience can see how it connects. The way she puts out anything can happen gives the reason what the poem is about. With rhythm and rhyme, this phrase would be irrelevant and could be a completely different theme, but without rhythm and rhyme, the topic can stand out, without the help of sound devices.
In Dove’s poem, she doesn’t have a consistent meter. Instead, each of her lines has different number of syllables. One line would have 5 syllables, and the next one would have 7, and so on. This throws the reader off, since they won’t have a rhythm to count to, but it still relates to the meaning of passion in the poem.
to say anything
at first. An orange, peeled
and quartered, flares
like a tulip on a wedge wood plate
Anything can happen.
Outside the sun
has rolled up her rugs
and night strewn salt
across the sky. My heart
is humming a tune
I haven't heard in years!
Quiet's cool flesh--
let's sniff and eat it.
There are ways
to make of the moment
a topiary
so the pleasure's in
walking through.
Rita Dove’s poem, “Flirtation”, there is no natural rhyme or rhythm. Instead, the way the words are set up leaves a passionate meaning behind the poem, making an emphasis on the subject without the use of sound devices. The poem is a free verse poem, letting the low of the words travel down on the paper. Because of this, there is a reason why the poem has no natural rhyme or rhythm.
In the poem, there is no natural rhyme scheme or rhythm, but it helps the poem stand out. All poems do not need a rhythm in order to make sense. In the poem, Dove separates the sentences, giving it a bit of effect. The way she separates the first sentence, “After all, there’s no need to say anything at first.”, she interrupts the third line. This gives a transition in meaning. She goes on with one thing, but then she transfers into another thing. The second sentence (lines 3-5) shows another idea, but it is irrelevant at first, but when the audience can see that “Anything can happen”, the audience can see how it connects. The way she puts out anything can happen gives the reason what the poem is about. With rhythm and rhyme, this phrase would be irrelevant and could be a completely different theme, but without rhythm and rhyme, the topic can stand out, without the help of sound devices.
In Dove’s poem, she doesn’t have a consistent meter. Instead, each of her lines has different number of syllables. One line would have 5 syllables, and the next one would have 7, and so on. This throws the reader off, since they won’t have a rhythm to count to, but it still relates to the meaning of passion in the poem.