Poetry Response #2

The poet, DonnaVorreye, cleverly compares words to wallflowers. She alludes to the fact that words can be like distant on lookers or “shy shadows” at a dance that do not participate in the activities, but long to be a part of the action. Words, like girls at a dance, do not want to be ignored but rather asked to dance or used in a literary work or common dialect. The author personifies words because they want to be noticed, just like humans would like to be. The poem “Wallflowers” suggests that it is importance to want to choose the best word to communicate and express one’s thoughts. It is necessary to appreciate a word’s nuance when using it for there can be great satisfaction in having chosen the perfect word to describe a person, thing, or situation. Vorreyer points out that if people do not have a love of words and use them, many words could disappear from our modern language. This would be a great loss as each word has its special meaning and helps people express their thoughts. In another way, words that are left hanging on the wall are detrimental to writers and readers because the art of writing cannot be fulfilled without them.

Vorreyer’s desire to keep words alive by taking unused words and turning them into “blooming flowers” made me better understand the need to learn vocabulary. Our weekly vocabulary tests broaden our knowledge and appreciation for words. By learning new words, we can more effectively communicate. When we take the vocabulary tests, we have to write the words, define them, and use them in a sentence. By doing this, we make the words “ours”, we give them a “home”, and we give them a chance to “bloom”.