Through figurative language as it “wrings joy like a dishrag and makes juice Times by personifying it as an “angry… jealous God.” He highlights its power

“have to deal with them.” This shock is emphasised through alliteration ofįrancisco confronts us with the uncertainty he now feels about the limitless nature of water by personifying the Earth as he wonders “how long it will take the planet to tell us we can’t live here.” He reinforces this idea by juxtaposing the simple pleasures of water and how it ran “through his figures” with the doubt he now harbours as he is unsure whether his “grandkids” will ever “hear splash.”įor those of us who say ‘we’re alright’ and continue throughĮach and every single day just to avoid flooding our emotions onto someone else.įrancisco explores how debilitating his depression can be at Had read about “ dragons and droughts” but never imagined he would His now shock of its scarcity, through reflecting upon a childhood memory as he Through personification as regardless of “where were”, water “wouldĪlways come running.” He contrasts the idea of the abundant nature of water with Of water during his youth as “it seemed endless.” This is further reinforced This is further reinforced through his use of second person as “you are still alive” and thus must “act like it.”įor those in the back and the front who don’t believe inįrancisco uses a metaphor to describe the limitless nature Here, he personifies these two words highlighting their simultaneous nature.įrancisco ends this piece on a positive note through his use of a simile and alliteration describing that “life is a gym membership with a really complicated cancellation policy.” He demonstrates that although some days are awful and unforgiving, one must continue persevering.

This line stood out for me as Francisco describes that whilst difficult situations can be dealt with pragmatically, they will always be accompanied by tragedy and silence. “Tragedy and silence often have the exact same address.” He emphasises through his use of repetition of “tell me” and alliteration of “ stole the key s to your smile” that despite the unpleasantness of early rises and daily routine, it’s a blessing and shouldn’t be complained about as it is “ so small it can fit on the tip s of our tongues.” By doing this, he positions us to reflect on our “bad days” with more optimism. There’s a reason why so many people resonate with this one and why this poem made my 10 Sensational Slam Poetry Performances post.įrancisco begins by confronting the reader with raw recounts of personal upheaval experienced by himself and others, juxtaposing these situations with the pragmatic responses of those who experienced them.

Helium by rudy francisco