Elliptical

“Elliptical” is a free-verse prose poem with no particular rhyme scheme or meter. It is one stanza with nine lines but even more incomplete sentences. The use of the ellipsis at the end of each incomplete sentence is consistent throughout the poem to show the omission of words. The beginnings of the sentences show variety, giving the poem the form of a well-constructed essay with pronouns and transitional words and phrases. The words that are not transitions or pronouns in the beginning phrases often give clues to the content or emotional perspective of the speaker “we” toward “they,” such as “consequences” (Line 3), “simply refuse” (Line 6), and “feel entitled to” (Line 7). Because of these precise word choices, sometimes the poetic device of assonance, the repetition of vowel sounds, appears, as in the third line with “obvious” and “overall” (Line 3), giving the poem an open, confident sound as the “we” group provides commentary on how “they” are and tend to be.