On Reading Poems to a Senior Class at South High (D.C. Berry)

Linda Arellano
Srygley, Cheryl
AP Literature

On Reading Poems to a Senior Class at South High
D.C. Berry

Before
I opened my mouth I noticed them sitting there
as orderly as frozen fish
In a package.

Slowly water began to fill the room
though I did not notice it
till it reached
my ears

and then I heard the sounds
of fish in an aquarium
and I knew that though I had
tried to drown them
with my words

that they had only opened up
like gills for them
and let me in.

Together we swam around the room
like thirty tails whacking words
till the bell rang
puncturing
a hole in the door

where we all leaked out

They went to another class
I supposed and I home

where Queen Elizabeth
my cat met me
and licked my fins
till they were hands again.

1. Reaction to Poem: The poem begins with a rather unusual comparison of students sitting in a class room to frozen fish in a package. Not only is this an unusual opening stanza, but it is also a bit humorous. The author quickly establishes that the classroom turns into an aquarium, which is slowly filling up with water. The water that fills the room can be interpreted as a symbol of the poetry that she is reading to the class, which slowly engages the class to the point she eventually realizes. As the class continues, the students become more interested in the words she speaks, and they all read along in unison, until they were abruptly interrupted by the bell, which signaled the end of that period therefore interrupting the group concentration. The poem concludes with the instructor going back home, where she slowly comes back from the poetic fantasy world and into the real world.
2. Paraphrase:
a. Before
b. I opened my mouth
c. I noticed the students sitting there
d. As orderly as frozen fish
e. In a package

f. the water filled the room slowly
g. even though I did not notice it
h. until it had reached
i. my ears

j. and then I heard the sounds
k. of fish in an aquarium
l. and I knew that even though I had
m. tried to drown them
n. in my lecture

o. they had only opened up
p. like gills for them
q. and allowed my in

r. together we swam around the room
s. about 30 kids speaking words
t. until the bell rang
u. puncturing
v. like a whole in a fish tank

w. where we all leaked out

x. they went to another class
y. I guess and I home

z. Where Queen Elizabeth
aa. My cat met me
bb. And licked my fins
cc. Until they were hands again
3. Syntax and word structure: This poem has no line or stanza pattern and follows no meter scheme whatsoever. Nevertheless this poem is considered to be a lyric. The poem contains stanzas that range from one to five lines, and these follow no pattern. The word choice used in this poem is highly descriptive and very precise for the maters of depicting the overall theme. There is brief usage of alliteration in certain lines (i.e. frozen fish… that though…, only opened…, thirty tails).
4. Imagery: The poem contains a prevailing image of an aquarium which is slowly filled by water as the instructor teaches poetry to the senior class at South High. The poem has many examples of imagery, or lines that are so descriptive that someone could hear, or even see things like if you were even there. In the first stanza the reader can immediately picture a class sitting in a very orderly fashion; “I noticed them sitting there as orderly as frozen fish in a package.” The second stanza creates an image of water emerging and rising to the instructor’s ears as she teaches the class. The author shows how the class is engaged and allows they to be part of the poetry she is teaching; “Together we swam around the room like thirty tails whacking words”.
5. Figurative Language: There are many examples of figurative language throughout the poem. Some of these include similes and metaphors. An example of figurative language would be, "Together we swam around the room/like thirty tail whacking words". The example is shown by a simile, comparing how they were discussing a learning (swimming around the room) poetry with thirty tails whacking words, using like to compare the two statements. As the students discuss the poetry they get more and more excited about discussing the poetry, which in the poet’s words would be the water in which the fish (students) are swimming in.
6. Tone: The tone of the poem is very relaxed, as if telling a story. it also combines a bit of humor (i.e. the first stanza). A group of people being compared to a package of frozen fish is not something we see every day. In general, it is very positive, inspiring and even focused.
7. Theme: The overall theme is saying that if water can help fishes breathe, then the discussion and reading of poetry can help students better understand it and even bring poetry back to life.
8. Conclusion: I believe that the purpose of this poem was to inspire people that poetry is not boring. It can transport one onto another era, another world and even help you see something from a different and more abstract perspective. In Berry’s poem she uses the example that people in classes can be predisposed as to how the class will go on, without even giving it a shot.