Analyzing Imagery and Sound in Poetry

Which sense does the imagery in these lines most appeal to?

Sight

Smell

Sound

Touch

Final answer: The imagery in these lines of poetry appeals to the sense of sound.

Explanation:

The imagery in these lines most appeals to the sense of sound. The poet uses the metaphor of a drum in the desert to convey the fading sound of life sliding out of her. By describing the sound as harder and harder to hear, the poet emphasizes the loss and the diminishing quality of life.

In Naomi Shihab Nye's poem "Making a Fist," the excerpt on the road to Tampico captures a powerful moment of introspection and vulnerability. The imagery used in these lines, particularly the comparison to a drum in the desert, creates a vivid auditory experience for the reader.

The sense of sound is evoked through the metaphor of a drum, symbolizing the fading vitality and vitality of the speaker's life. The repetition of the phrase "harder and harder to hear" reinforces the gradual loss and diminishing presence of life, echoing the fading beat of a drum in a vast, empty desert.

Through the skillful use of imagery and sound in poetry, Nye conveys the emotional weight and existential reflection of the speaker's experience on the road to Tampico. The lines resonate with the reader, inviting contemplation on the transient nature of life and the poignant moments of revelation in our journey.