Poem for my sister - evaluation essay
In the poem ‘Poem for my Sister’ the speaker shows her feelings about her beliefs on her
sister growing up too fast. Throught the poem the author uses ‘high heels’ as a metaphor
for life. The speakers sister is experimenting with her growing life. It shows a child’s desire
to grow up quickly and become more like their adult role models. The author uses imagery
to paint a picture of a young girl struggling to walk in ‘shoes’ too big for her. Using words
like ‘strut’ shows the young girls confidence this contradicts the adjective ‘spindle-thin’
suggesting she is still a developing child this juxtaposition shows mixed feelings from the
author about her sister growing up.
Later in the poem the speaker ‘admires’ the way her sister plays ‘hopscotch’ which is a
children’s game. As said in the first stanza her sister is confident and does not miss a step
even when wearing shoes that are too big. As a reader it can be interpreted that the child
may be ‘over-stepping the line’ between childhood and adulthood. As the poem progresses
the author is showing her feelings about how quickly her sister is growing up through
symbolism and how the ‘hopscotch’ is a metaphor for life similarly to the ‘high heels’. The
child is therefore beginning to cross the ‘line’ therefore approaching becoming an adult and
all the speaker can do it stand back and ‘admire’ her growth as a person.
It is shown in the last stanza that the speaker is concerned for her sister and hopes to not
‘see her in my shoes’. She wishes the young girl would stay ‘sure footed’ and tries to ‘warn’
her about trying to live another’s life in their shoes by pointing out ‘my own distorted feet’
the speakers ‘callouses’ and ‘odd patches’ are evidence of the authors own unfortunate
brushes with life and wants to protect her sister from that pain. The speaker clearly sees
childhood as a precious time and is worried that her sister is attempting to grow up too fast
and wants to protect her from adulthood. Her sister is stubborn and believes the shoes ‘fit
her perfectly’ which furthermore would be a cause for concern for the elder sister wanting
to protect the young girl.
The poem is written in free verse suggesting that the speaker believes that childhood should
be a time where one can be free from the confines of adulthood and therefore this should
be cherished. She is showing her worry for her sister wearing ‘unsuitable shoes’ as she
wants her to enjoy her life rather than trying to be in ‘my shoes’. The use of free verse could
be seen as a symbol for the young girls life so far and that it has been full of enjoyable
moments due to her childlike freedom, the speaker is attempting to ‘warn’ her sister that
this will be gone at some point in her life and therefore to not rush into it.
In conclusion as a reader I believe that the author uses mostly metaphors and symbolism to
convey her feelings of worry about her sister growing up. Therefore is constantly trying to
protect her as she knows about the confines of adulthood and wants the young girl to
cherish the time she has being a child with a large amount of freedom.
In the poem ‘Poem for my Sister’ the speaker shows her feelings about her beliefs on her
sister growing up too fast. Throught the poem the author uses ‘high heels’ as a metaphor
for life. The speakers sister is experimenting with her growing life. It shows a child’s desire
to grow up quickly and become more like their adult role models. The author uses imagery
to paint a picture of a young girl struggling to walk in ‘shoes’ too big for her. Using words
like ‘strut’ shows the young girls confidence this contradicts the adjective ‘spindle-thin’
suggesting she is still a developing child this juxtaposition shows mixed feelings from the
author about her sister growing up.
Later in the poem the speaker ‘admires’ the way her sister plays ‘hopscotch’ which is a
children’s game. As said in the first stanza her sister is confident and does not miss a step
even when wearing shoes that are too big. As a reader it can be interpreted that the child
may be ‘over-stepping the line’ between childhood and adulthood. As the poem progresses
the author is showing her feelings about how quickly her sister is growing up through
symbolism and how the ‘hopscotch’ is a metaphor for life similarly to the ‘high heels’. The
child is therefore beginning to cross the ‘line’ therefore approaching becoming an adult and
all the speaker can do it stand back and ‘admire’ her growth as a person.
It is shown in the last stanza that the speaker is concerned for her sister and hopes to not
‘see her in my shoes’. She wishes the young girl would stay ‘sure footed’ and tries to ‘warn’
her about trying to live another’s life in their shoes by pointing out ‘my own distorted feet’
the speakers ‘callouses’ and ‘odd patches’ are evidence of the authors own unfortunate
brushes with life and wants to protect her sister from that pain. The speaker clearly sees
childhood as a precious time and is worried that her sister is attempting to grow up too fast
and wants to protect her from adulthood. Her sister is stubborn and believes the shoes ‘fit
her perfectly’ which furthermore would be a cause for concern for the elder sister wanting
to protect the young girl.
The poem is written in free verse suggesting that the speaker believes that childhood should
be a time where one can be free from the confines of adulthood and therefore this should
be cherished. She is showing her worry for her sister wearing ‘unsuitable shoes’ as she
wants her to enjoy her life rather than trying to be in ‘my shoes’. The use of free verse could
be seen as a symbol for the young girls life so far and that it has been full of enjoyable
moments due to her childlike freedom, the speaker is attempting to ‘warn’ her sister that
this will be gone at some point in her life and therefore to not rush into it.
In conclusion as a reader I believe that the author uses mostly metaphors and symbolism to
convey her feelings of worry about her sister growing up. Therefore is constantly trying to
protect her as she knows about the confines of adulthood and wants the young girl to
cherish the time she has being a child with a large amount of freedom.
