Hello, all.  This evening’s quick post is a nod to the

Metaphor:  Any figure that asserts the equivalence of two or more disparate elements, as in mathematics, for example, when one states A=B.  Thus in Martin Luther’s classic metaphor, “A mighty fortress is our God,” God is claimed to be the same as a fortress stronghold.

from William Packard’s The Poet’s Dictionary: A Handbook of Prosody and Poetic Devices.

The cool thing about Packard’s discussion of metaphor is the multiple examples he gives of the different kinds of metaphors, including, but not limited to,  the double metaphor, the negative metaphor, and the tentative metaphor.

Now might be a good time to remind you all that there is a secret I am keeping about the exploration of these poetic devices; and, it deals with the poet’s relationship to them.

Due to time constraints, I won’t be posting an original or new example of metaphor here, but maybe I will tackle that challenge tomorrow in addition to dealing with our next device.  In the meantime, I leave you with one of my poems, the original version of which was published in Lonzie’s Fried Chicken (Number 6), and earned special recognition in the poetry contest that magazine sponsored in 2001.  In this poem, I do, at least, give “metaphor” a nod.   Thanks for reading!

Vacuuming

is a task dreaded.
To wearily break up the battle between my upright
and the fringe on the rug: war between the states
of being busy and merely being.
Like me and my chores versus
me and the poetry, industry and essence
I think.
If I stopped seeing metaphor
everywhere would my house be cleaner
my laundry
always bright and fresh,
my child’s hair perpetually combed?
I will take wicked pleasure, at least, in seeing
my daughter’s gerbils jump when I flip
the on switch of the Hoover. I will
tell myself I am an evil and exciting woman.

by Suzanne Baldwin Leitner