Extended Metaphors In Malcolm London's Poem 'Grand Slam'

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Malcolm London wrote this poem, “Grand Slam”, to communicate the fact that it is difficult leave poverty once you’re born into an impoverished neighborhood. London creates an extended metaphor throughout the poem to communicate in that it is difficult to leave an impoverished neighborhood. In the 15th and 4th stanzas, London writes, “bases loaded / with her offspring / who have never made it to the majors ... most of us have stopped short / of coming home / safe.”, and, “2nd base / a boarded up building”. Therefore, London uses the metaphor to compare his neighborhood to a baseball game by comparing a boarded up building in his neighborhood to second base in a baseball game. Furthermore, London expands on the extended metaphor by writing that