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Harrison Kairalla
Curmano
L.A. P.5
13 April 2015
Poetic Analysis of The Rider
Loneliness can be hard for anyone. Everyone has been lonely at some point in
time. Naomi Shihab Nyes poem The Rider shows how loneliness is an easy thing to
overcome through a boy, a bike rider, and some flower petals. By using several poetic
devices and an excitingly hopeful tone, the theme that loneliness is an easy thing to
overcome is easily depicted.
The poetic devices in Naomi Shihab Nyes poem the Rider, help to portray the
theme that you can get away from loneliness. In the fourth stanza, imagery is used
when it says, while you float free in a cloud of azaleas(11). The words in the line really
give you a clear image of what's going on. The rider is floating by literally in the poem
but metaphorically floating away from his/her loneliness. Also in the poem, lines 5, 8,
and 13 are end stopped. The first two end stopped lines in the beginning break up the
poem into parts and help differentiate the shift in mood. The last end stopped line ends
the poem and leaves the theme that loneliness can be escaped in your head. In the last
stanza, when its talking about how great it would be without loneliness, alliteration is
used twice when it says, pink petals, and leave your loneliness(12, 9). The
alliteration occurs when the point or theme of the poem is being made. Its helps the
poem flow and it gives a sense that leaving your loneliness would be a smooth and
easy process. All of the poetic devices that the author uses truly enhance the theme.

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Naomis poem The Rider has a hopeful, encouraging, and tranquil tone to help
show the uselessness of loneliness. The author uses words and phrases like wonder
and the best reason" when shes trying to imply she wants to rid herself of loneliness
(4, 6). These tone words are almost promising. Although it seems doubtful it also gives
a strong sense of hope. Naomi also shows how great that would be by exclaiming
Victory! and Panting Behind you(9, 10). She establishes a tone of excitement with
the exclamation marks and by giving the feeling of a fast pace. Its almost creates a
feeling inside you that makes you want to get up and literally run away from your
loneliness. At the end of the poem it slows down when theme comes up and says
petals that have never felt loneliness and no matter how slowly(12, 13). it gives the
poem a tranquil mood as if theres not a care in the world. These lines make the poem
feel complete. This poem uses an at first exciting and hopeful tone and later a laid back
knowledgable tone to help show how you can escape loneliness.
Loneliness can be tiring but its not the worst thing in the world. The author uses
the most innocent things like a kid to show that if we think like them then loneliness
couldn't catch up to us. This poem demonstrates perfectly that, in the end, anyone can
overcome loneliness if they have the right mindset.

Works Cited
Shibab Nye, Naomi. "The Rider." Poetry 180. Boa Editions, Rochester, NY,
2015. Web. 13 Apr. 2015. <https://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/165.html>.

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