The New Yorker: Poetry cover image

Timothy Donnelly Reads Yusef Komunyakaa

The New Yorker: Poetry

NOTE

Interpreting a Poem's Layers of Meaning

The poem being discussed presents layers of meaning through the tension between the speaker's unique voice and everyday speech, as well as the depiction of time passing. Through a specific sentence about a buzz in the persimmon tree, the poem transitions from the imagery of bees and flowers to the tree bearing fruit ready for consumption, showcasing a quick progression of scenes and ideas within a few lines.

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