Black - “1847”
Dooley writes, “Ma’s face is black with hair/She does not know me anymore.” The black face indicates Ma’s aloofness from the speaker. The hair on the face encumbers Ma from seeing the speaker although they are in close proximity.
Paws - “1847”
Dooley observes, “Her hands are paws.” The paw-like hands that exemplify roughness that widens the estrangement between the speaker and Ma. The hands are unreceptive; thus, they cannot invite cuddling.
Stony - “1847”
The speaker comments, “Nights toss us cruelly.Afraid I’ll no more wake/I sit stony.” The stoniness typifies the tension that is paramount during the night. The tension stimulates the speaker’s trepidation and rigidity, which daunt sleep.
Knots - “1847”
The speaker confesses, “What knots my belly now’sNot hunger. Anger.” The knots are emblematic of the speaker’s vexation, which could be attributed to the unsatisfactory night. The knots coalescence the speaker’s stoniness.
Ship - “Freight”
The speaker asserts, “I am the ship in which you sail,” This assertion implies that the speaker is monumental in the addressee’s existence. The addressee cannot traverse life, which the sea incarnates, in the absence of the speaker.
Freight - “Freight”
The freight denotes the dependent addressee. The speaker assures the freight, “I’ll pay whatever toll your ferry needs.” Observably, the addressee is dependent on the speaker for endurance, and the speaker is prepared to render the sustenance that would qualify the addressee to chart his history through the sea.
