Cozy apologia Flashcards
(13 cards)
Rita Dove context
•She was the first African-American to become poet laureate, and also the youngest to hold the title.
•Her and her husband were both writers.
Hurricane Floyd context
The storm caused widespread devastation and major evacuations in the US. Its impact provides a stark contrast to Dove’s domestic tranquility, highlighting the beauty and comfort she finds with her husband.
“i could pick anything and think of you”
Dove directly addresses her husband in a conversational way, emphasising the comfort of their bond.
“this lamp, the wind-still rain, the glossy blue”
‘lamp’ demonstrated brightness and hope, and her feeling of contentment.
the ‘rain’ shows that they are both safe and dry indoors with the warmth reassuring the proximity of her lover.
“sure as shooting arrows to the heart”
drawn upon traditional images of love, emphasising her admiration towards her lover
“silver stirrups” “chain mail glinting”
He is compared to a knight, her use of such simplistic and fantasy-like imagination highlighting how safe she feels around him. She can be childish around him.
“one eye smiling, the other firm upon the enemy”
Dove sees her husband as both loving and warm, but also protective when he needs to be.
“nudging up the coast”
The storm is illustrated as grumpy rather than dangerous
“teenage crushes on worthless boys”
Dove looks back on her past, her vocabulary of ‘worthless’ demonstrates her appreciation for her current lover
“floyd’s cussing up a storm”
use of personification makes the storm seem less intimidating than it really is.
the enjambment may imply how the storm gets closer
“you’re bunkered”
they are safe from the storm, giving a sense of warmth, security and seclusion.
“twin desks, computers, hardwood floors”
implies that the couple are both writers
“i fill this stolen time with you”
she feels guilty about being happy and contented, feels that she cannot express her gratitude to her husband enough.
