Speaker
The first person perspective in this poem makes for a good read. The poem is told like a story, full of interesting details. The speaker does not try too strongly to emphasize any specific ideas but does add flavor to the story. Only one time in the poem does the speaker actually refer to himself/herself. Line 10 reads, "Call it a day, I wish they might." The job and perspective of the narrator are unknown to the reader; the narrator could be a co-worker, a neighbor, or even a father. How does the narrator witness the event? Does this person usually have access to the boy's personal life? These are both interesting questions. As it reads, the narrator must live closely to the boy, most likely in the same house. It also seems that, because of how descriptive the poem is, it is told by a female. The description of the action is told through a caring perspective, not through the work-hardened perspective of a day laborer. Though is it not a large issue in the poem, the mystery behind the narrator is an interesting one.
- posted by Haynes Finney @ 2:27 PM