Precis: "Neglect"

In “Neglect”, R.T. Smith conveys in a remorseful tone through usage of alliteration and sentence structure that one should not abandon a task, but rather remain consistent or else the goal will burn up in flames. He uses a decent amount of alliteration throughout the poem, such as the final line of “cardinal’s crest or cinders”. The alliteration helps to grab the reader’s attention to certain spots of the poem. Towards the end of the poem, Smith wants the reader to understand how the Red Delicious when cared for can be as bright as a cardinal’s crest or when left alone the wood of the dead tree will burn red like cinders. The alliteration helps to highlight instances of Smith’s neglect. The sentence structure is also unique. There are set stanzas, but the lines and sentences seem to break through these separations. The line “In the woodstove…I could not convince its limbs to render fruit?”, starts in the first stanza, but finishes in the second. The point of the this structure is for the reader to see the author’s neglect as well. The author neglected to complete his sentences in their set stanzas, which furthers his point of remorse over his neglect. R.T. Smith accomplishes his goal of showing what ignoring something can do, through his usage of structure and alliteration.