Berry - "On Reading Poems to a

Berry - "On Reading Poems to a Senior Class at South High" Berry lyrically describes his experience teaching with "On Reading Poems to a Senior Class at South High." Readers can easily relate to his straightforward extended metaphor and poignant imagery describing the classroom as a giant fish tank. Berry portrays his multifaceted feelings about teaching with this poem, acknowledging the communication problems that exist between teacher and students. The poet's words are sensitive and not biased either toward the students or the teacher.

Instead, "On Reading Poems" refers to the fundamental problems with the teacher-student relationship, especially when the subject matter is poetry. Because of the inherent difficulties with teaching poetry, the narrator flounders in front of his class and doesn't feel safe until he is at home with his cat. Imagery is the main vehicle with which D.C. Berry communicates his main message.

The first stanza of the poem paves the way for the extended metaphor, as the students are right away described as "sitting there as orderly as frozen fish in a package." Although Berry continues to use aquatic imagery, this initial comparison of the students to "frozen" fish indicates that they seem disinterested. Required to attend their classes to graduate from high school, the students seem as enthused as frozen fish. However, this imagery transforms over the course of the poem, as the students come alive.

Thawing their initial frozen reaction to the teacher, the students and teacher now must attempt to swim in a sea of words. Imagery easily becomes symbolism in a poem, and Berry has no problem capitalizing on the symbolic nature of fish and water. Remarkably, both teacher and students are not fish out of water, but rather, they are in the water together. When the water fills the room, the teacher and students are both part of the same world. The water that fills the room symbolizes communication.

The narrator notices the water only when it reaches his ears, in the second stanza. Thereafter, the "sounds of fish in an aquarium" remind the teacher of his fear of drowning the students "with words." Instead, the teacher notices, the students "opened up like gills for them and let me in." The open gills represent open minds, which accept the viscous words as part of their education and maturation.

Initially, the teacher fears that they will all drown and are swimming aimlessly, but he ends up swimming together with his kids, like "thirty tails whacking words." This latter phrase shows the poet's skillful use of diction to enhance the meaning and impact of "On Reading Poems." The alliteration used in the phrase "thirty tails whacking words" directly parallels the subject matter taught by the poem's narrator. Poetry is the artful connection of words, is the most abstract and creative expression of language.

Berry is able to illuminate his audience with his diction, just as the teacher transcends the muddy waters of his subject by inspiring his students with words. The effective imagery of "On Reading Poems" extends through all the verses, which fluctuate like waves on water. The verses are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8 lines long, and follow an indirect but meaningful pattern. Berry mirrors.