To a Daughter Leaving Home

Simile

'the hair flapping behind you like a handkerchief waving goodbye.' • Pastan compares the girl's flapping hair to a handkerchief

Poetic techniques

1. Enjambement 2. Metaphor 3. Repetition 4. Simile 5. Assonance

Enjambement

= One line runs into another (run-on lines) • Echoes the movement of the bicycle on its journey

Assonance

= Repetition of vowel sounds (o, u) 'you wobbled away on two round wheels,' • This sound effect mirrors the 'uh oh' feeling of uncertainty and surprise the mother experiences as her daughter cycles away by herself

Poet

Linda Pastan

Lines 1-6

When I taught you at eight to ride a bicycle, loping along beside you as you wobbled away on two round wheels,

Lines 7-14

my own mouth rounding in surprise when you pulled ahead down the curved path of the park, I kept waiting for the thud of your crash as I sprinted to catch up,

20-24

the hair flapping behind you like a handkerchief waving goodbye.

Lines 15-20

while you grew smaller, more breakable with distance, pumping, pumping for your life, screaming with laughter,

Extra notes

• Bike is a metaphor for life • Poem represents journey of life • Poet extends the metaphor of the bike as part of life's journey • The poem represents the journey from childhood innocence to adult independence as seem through the eyes of an anxious parent

Literary techniques/devices

• Informal, free verse poem that contains no strict rhyme or meter • One elongated sentence with brief punctuation now and then to produce a stop-start rhythm: Reflects the daughters experience of learning to ride a bike • The brief punctuation, with present participle words- pumping, flapping, screaming makes it appear as if the bicycle lesson is happening at the present moment, despite it being a distant memory

Metaphor

• The bicycle lesson is a metaphor for life's journey and is extended throughout the poem • There will be difficulties and challenges in life, just like there are falls and tears while learning to ride a bike

Repetition

•Helps reinforce an idea 'pumping, pumping,' • Suggests that the daughter is surging ahead with intense energy and enthusiasm, typical of a child