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An Analysis Of Edward Hirsch's Poem Fast Break

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Edward Hirsch’s poem “Fast Break” has a lot of good use of sensory details, figurative language, and sound devices. This poem is about the fast break in basketball when players quickly bring the ball the other way at an unprepared defense. The subject of basketball is untraditional. “Fast Break” is the best poem ever. Hirsch utilizes good sensory details in “Fast Break”. Hirsch has great sight sensory details. One good use of sight is in lines 10 and 11 “scissoring past a flat-footed defender/who looks stunned and nailed to the floor”(Hirsch 10-11). This is a good sensory detail because it helps create a picture of how the defender was completely unprepared. Hirsch uses good sight sensory details again. In line 13, “ a high, gliding dribble and a man” (Hirsch 13). This sensory detail gives a sense how the ball is being dribbling almost elegantly. One …show more content…

The first sound device is alliteration. In line 10, “ flat-footed defender” (Hirsch 10). This use of alliteration in the back to back f sounds in flat-footed emphasizes the fact that the defender was not ready for the fast break. Next, the author uses assonance. In line 11, “who looks stunned and nailed to the floor” (Hirsch 11). The assonance of the o sound in who, looks, to, and floor used here is another way to emphasize how the defender was unprepared for the fast break. Finally Hirsch has a good use of consonance. In line 30, “falling, hitting the floor” (Hirsch 30). The consonance of the ng sound at the end of falling and hitting emphasizes that in the game of basketball you have to be willing to sacrifice your body for the betterment of the team. Hirsch’s use of sound devices are one final reason why “Fast Break” is the best poem ever. The best poem ever is “Fast Break”.Hirsch has great use of sensory details. Also, Hirsch’s use of figurative language is superb. Finally, there are excellent sound devices in this poem. “Fast Break” is the best poem

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