Explication_of_Robert_Francis’_‘Catch’

Explication of Robert Francis’ ‘Catch’ The title of the poem, Catch, helps produce an image. Although catch can mean various things from capturing, deceiving, or laying hold of. When combined with the first line we start to see a game of “catch”, by using the word choices; two, boys, tossing, poem, together. Even though a ball is not present to be caught, that is the image that arises in my mind. Upon further examination I find that the first line is not at all a game, but more of a starting point. “Two boys uncoached...” Two boys not instructed or trained are making, “a poem together,” an arrangement of words, rhythmically in a style more imaginative than ordinary speech. The “game” proceeds with every line, each being a tip on well done poetry. Line two reinforces the image of two boys playing catch using words involving hands. “Overhand, underhand, backhand, sleight of hand, every hand,” This is a confusing line when considering this is a poem about poems. Yet, it is a wonderful example of alliteration. The word play in this line gives an image to the reader, but there are words in here that have valid line, word, choices, two, poem, make, catch, hands, give, yet, words, reader, now, image, game, boys, anything, using, together, reference, pretty, posy, poetry, plump, over, mind, idea, hand, gives, each, being, written, ways, way, tricky, trick, tossing, though, theme, ten, sweet, suddenly, sleight, skill, should, seven, seems, scramble, says, risky