Dove uses imagery to express the woman’s tiresome life. In the third line, she references to “A doll slumped behind the door.” A limp doll has the same amount of energy that the mother is feeling. The symbolism paints the pictures of a woman sagging down with no vitality left inside of her. This image is supported with the fourth line stating, “so she lugged a chair behind the garage.” The words express lack of strength of vigor behind the action, most likely from fatigue. In the second line, the repetitive tasks the mother must take on every day are referred to “diapers steaming on the line.” There is no break from the endless responsibilities that she must do. The poem is written as a free verse with relatively short lines. The absence of