In "The Race" by Sharon Olds, the meaning of the poem, of despair and faith are conveyed through the use of repetition, imagery, and an anxious tone, in which they provide emphasis to important actions taking place. The use of repetition in this poem helps the feeling of despair to develop. Olds states how, "...ten minutes later they told me the flight was cancelled...my father would not live through the night and the flight was cancelled." You can feel the desperation of the character through the use of repetition, by repeating how the flight had been cancelled, it leads on to creating the desperation. With the use of imagery in the poem, the sense of faith is delivered. Olds writes how, "The jet was full, and people's hair was shining,