Imagine The Angels Of Bread Poetic Devices

1245 Words3 Pages

The world can only be full of hope, love, joy and redemption for certain people. Minorities constantly struggle to obtain certain rights and lack encouragement to take a stance. Though the world has shifted and developed in this day, several injustices have come to light. Poetry is one of many ways to document the world and common experiences and to say what needs to be said in a direct and powerful way. Poems give urgency yet are interesting at the same time. It captures the reader’s attention and makes them think beyond. Little things in poetry matter. The language, structure, and poetic devices can have a deeper purpose and message. It can be used to confront injustices in a way that will attract readers. It helps injustices to be unforgettable. …show more content…

Espada states, “This is the year that those/ who swim the border’s undertow/ and shiver in the boxcars/ are greeted with trumpets and drums” (Lines 22-25). Espada uses an anaphora of “This is the year” throughout the poem. By this phrase, Espada is giving out hope and is looking towards the future. Because this poem is about the future, this means that it’s not happening currently and is acquired as a goal. The words “trumpets and drums” show how immigrants are being celebrated and are actually accepted. The celebration of immigrants coming into the U.S is only a fantasy and not a reality. Immigrants are treated the exact opposite. They’re abused and mistreated. Espada used a hopeful and sanguineous tone to show that it is possible to have a world that acknowledges minorities. This “dream” world can actually come true with the help of others. The injustice can also be seen in the following: “Pilgrimage of immigrant birth; this is the year that cockroaches/ become extinct, that no doctor/ finds a roach embedded/ in an ear of an infant” (Lines 38-41). This line is a metaphor. “Cockroaches” are unwanted, dirty, and disgusting insects which help symbolize all the discriminatory beliefs that are told to children. The poet explains that as immigrant children are growing up, they’re being told ideas and beliefs that lower the reputation of the class, race, and minority, which they are a part of. As they grow up, they follow through with the beliefs which ultimately causes the children to become these stereotypes that they’ve been told. When Espada mentions the “cockroaches” becoming extinct, he is explaining that the discriminatory ideas will be diminished. The children will no longer be endangered by the beliefs and ideas of the dominant races. Espada includes the metaphor by using the cockroaches because it has a strong negative connotation. It helps people realize how

Open Document