What was the First Sound Poem by Patricia Smith

Look at the transitions between paragraphs or between sections. How does he or she make these transitions? What effect do they have on the forward momentum of the piece?


Each verse is composed of three lines. The last line of each verse is repeated at the beginning of the next verse. This makes it change from one sub subject to another and at the very end, it is ended answering the question from the first verse. This creates like an answer to its claim, it explains why is that.
Also, from within verses, it makes the reader think about what will happen next, and once the reader has though of something, then the next verse is the answer and thus people can keep thinking.

50 Word Snapshot (3)

Seven years old I was

First time in the airplane

It was so cool when taking off

Not so cool when landing

I forgot my seat belts

Sweating I was

Mom figured it out

Helped me to put it on

But dad,

Dad almost killed me

Yet I’m still alive

50 Word Snapshot (2)

It was a winter day
I remember, yes I do
Hidden Sun
Strong Wind
Cold and Snowy Day

Everything was frozen
Traffic lights, trees, cars…
Everyone fell once that day
So slippery day!

Those who like winter
Good for you,
Those who don’t
You have my support

50 Word Snapshot (1)

The day you are all gone

gone from our sight

you’ll not be missed

don't worry about us

we'll be happy too

Hope the new family likes you

because we didn’t

hope you can live peacefully

because with us

that was impossible

My dear cockroaches

have a great life

cuz we will

Place by W.S. Merwin

This poem is structured within two lines, a total of sixteen lines. This is to make the reader read it and kind of pause from verse to verse, so that they can imagine what he is saying and also to kind of him responding to the first line of each verse. The first verse creates an image of a tree, that the author really cares about them, because even though is the last day of the world, he would still plant a tree. Most of us would rather spend it with our loved ones or do something memorable for the last time. He ends the poem as it is to show that trees by the end of the world, would survive and that no human being would take it down.

The Ninemile Wolves

A specific detail that stay in my mind is when the author describes that wolves are not chasing deers but rather, wolves are being chased by humans, being tested with chemicals. The reason is because I never imagined that way. Usually, when I imagine wolves, I imagine them being wild, aggressive, and chasing a prey. It never crossed my mind to think about wolves being chased by something.
These details lead to the fact that wolves and human are not so friendly. That, there are people out there that do not want the wolves to be wondering around because of economic purposes. Human being selfish and wanting everything for their benefit, would destroy or alter other species lives.

Terry Tempest Willliams

One of the details that stayed in my mind was when she told about her dream of a beautiful light. And after that, her dad told her the "truth" behind it and that the light that she saw was actually not a dream but in reality the cause of the many deaths of her people. She started to link everything together and then it made sense why most of her family died from cancer one way or another. This detail, specifically lead to the larger picture that Utah was being used to test bombs and much of the lives in the area were affected and suffered. These lives were ignored by the government; outside people had no idea of what it was like to live like that.