To a T

Thus far, my favorite poem has been "Sestina," by Elizabeth Bishop, mainly because of its unique repetition of "tears" (6) and the characterization of the objects. In a really weird way, I felt as though I could give each object a personality of sorts, due to the way Bishop describes them. Bishop brings the objects to life through the descriptions, like when the narrator mentions how the kettle "sings" (11), while the almanac and stove speak later on. "'But what exactly is this about, here?'" (Currie 211). The poem was a very interesting tale of a child and her grandmother, and how they cope with the death of someone close to them. No words are exchanged between them, but there is still a tension in the air. The child is absorbed in her drawing, while the grandmother focuses on not crying. It's difficult, however, with all the "tears" around her. I suppose I like this poem so much, because a story is told without actual spoken words. Yes, the objects 'talk,' but it's simply for the poem's purposes; they're not actually speaking. Most might get confused, but "why is that a problem? Why is it a problem to just want" (Currie 132) readers to think for themselves? It's an extremely creative route to take, and I respect Bishop for choosing such a difficult, yet appealing way to tell their tale. "It worked to a T" (Currie 45).