Figurative Language & Imagery

Figurative language and imagery work hand-in-hand to entice the reader's five senses. In the poem, "Fast Break", Edward Hirsch use of literary devices allows for one to see, hear, feel, taste, and even smell the players play a fierce game of basket ball. For example, the first line of the poem, "A hook shot kisses the rim" personifies the shot while letting the reader imagine hearing the sound the ball makes going through the hoop by using plosive language (or repetition of the k sound). Other words such as "floating, scissoring, and gliding" add a visual sense to the poem. A similar poem to "Fast Break" is Yusef Komunyakaa's poem, "Slam, Dunk, & Hook". Lines such as "Swish of strings like silk" and "All hands and feet...sprung rhythm." demonstrate how graceful and synchronized basketball can be through vivid imagery.