Concrete Poem. A concrete poem, or shape poem, is one printed or written in a shape that suggests its subject matter. By using this technique, Kumin makes words and a picture work together to express her impression of a swimming race. How does the shape of the poem create the image of a swimming race? How does the reader’s experience parallel that of the swimmer?
Metaphor and Personification. Figures of speech are expressions that have more than a literal meaning. Metaphor and personification are two types of figures of speech. A metaphor is a figure of speech in which one thing is spoken or written about as if it were another. A metaphor invites the reader to make a comparison between the two things. “Love is a red, red rose” is an example of metaphor. Personification is a figure of speech in which an idea, animal, or thing is described as if it were a person. “Love reached out and bit me” is an example of personification. What things are personified in the following poem? Use a graphic organizer like the one shown to the right to list the things being personified, the descriptions that personify those things, and the meanings of those figures of speech.
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• Sports Connection. Human beings are not natural swimmers, so swimming techniques—including breathing and arm-leg coordination—must be learned. Swimming is taught in schools and sports centers across the world. In formal lessons, swimmers develop survival techniques and learn one of the most beneficial forms of exercise available. Swimming is also a competitive sport.
• Since the late 1800s, five basic strokes have been developed for training and competition. The most common is the crawl, which is also known as freestyle, because it is the stroke of choice in freestyle competitions. The backstroke, which uses the same basic arm motion as the crawl, was first seen in the Olympics in 1912. The breaststroke is the oldest known swimming stroke. The butterfly was developed in the mid-1900s. The sidestroke used to be used in competition, but now is commonly used for recreational swimming and long-distance swimming.
What kinds of competition have you experienced? How do you prepare for it?
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