Kelton Elias

2/14/2019
English 9, B
Poetry Analysis

I am Offering this Poem by Jimmy Santiago Baca is a poem that describes the

overcoming of the sense of security when the rest of the world is a cold and dark place. The

poem is told in the first person, written addressed to an unknownthe reader, letting them know

that all there is to give is love, and although at times might not seem enough, it is all that is

needed to feel safe. The central theme that the author Jimmy Santiago Baca develops is the sense

of feeling warmth and safety provided by a loved one. This is shown by the uses of rhyme

scheme, metaphor and similes, imagery. Using rhyme scheme, metaphors and similes, and

imagery, the author was able to illustrate these qualities.

The use of rhyme scheme in this poem is very minimal and is not present till until the last

stanza. The lack of rhyming in the first three stanzas of the poem represents the insecurity of

thewhom this poem was addressed to person the poem is being read to. The Llack of security

links to the poetic devise because a non-rhyming poem has less of a strictly confined structure

and helps the reader understand the situation of the narrator. In the last stanza of the poem, the

author decides to add a rhyme scheme of AA BB, “It’s all I have to give, and all anyone needs to

live…” (24),” which signifies the feeling of safety which is brought to the narrator, showing that

the use of loving someone was affective. The switch between a free-verse poem to a confined,

rhyming poem is an example of a change in tone, adding significance, and showing gradual

change in the narrator’s writing style.

Metaphors and similes are also usedThe author uses metaphors and similes in this poem,

and help the reader understand exactly the point the author is getting acrossthe different points

conveyed between the author and the reader. This includes communicating that everything is
 Kelton Elias
2/14/2019
English 9, B
going to be just fine, even though life seems to be getting rough. One simile-metaphor cross that

the author uses is describing the feeling of love, “Keep it like a warm coat when winter comes to

cover you. (3)” In this example, the warm coat is representingrepresents the love’s protective

coating when living gets difficult. The winter coming is a metaphor used to describe all the

negative times and hardships that get in the way of being happy. Metaphors in this poem are also

usedused by the author in this poem to describe the ways love should be handled. In order to

describe keeping love safe, the poet uses metaphors like “and in the corner of your drawer,

tucked away like a cabin or hogan. (17)” Imagery also play a big role in helping this poem be

more understanding. For instance, “tucked away like a cabin or hogan,” gives the reader a clear

understanding that love needs to be kept safe, set apart from miserable, negative things. Another

example of a use of a metaphor is “rest by this fire, and make you feel safe, (22)” which shows

how “warm” love can feel when it is shown correctly. Using similes and metaphors help the

reader see the point being made in their head, enhancing their ability to better understand the text

with a more artistic touch to it.

After the uses of rhyme scheme, metaphors, and imagery, the poem written by Jimmy

Santiago Baca represents the theme of feeling loved and safe. Using these poetic devises not only

helps enables the poem to become more understanding, but it also enhances the way it sounds

being readfrom the reader’s perspective, spanning from repetition of certain words to free-verse

and rhyming. In the end, the outcome of these processes leaves the reader with a nicely

pleasantly written poem with a deeper meanings hidden within its depths.