Elizabeth Bishop - Poetic Techniques

The Fish - simile that creates vivid imagery

"his brown skin hung in strips / like ancient wallpaper"

The Fish - metaphor that reinforces imagery

"The irises backed and packed / with tarnished tinfoil"

The Fish - use of colour to enchance imagery

"darker brown", "lime", "yellowed"

Sestina - repetition of 6 words to convey confusion

"house, tears, child, almanac, stove, grandmother"

Sestina - envoi of the sestina lets the young emotional Bishop surface

"Time to plant tears, says the almanac"

First Death in Nova Scotia - sibilance slows us down and makes us picture the dead bird

"stood a stuffed loon / shot and stuffed by Uncle"

First Death in Nova Scotia - imagery of dead bloodless boy shows lack of understanding

"He was all white, like a doll"

Filling Station - assonance highlight just how small the station is, reinforcing Bishop's powerful imagery

"--this little filling station"

Filling Station - repetition used to further imagery

"oil, dirty"