The poems "19 Varieties of Gazelle" (87) and "A Single Slice Reveals Them" (124) appear at first glance to be nothing alike. Their structures, however, are very similar. While the first poem is much longer, they are both set up in small chunks causing a somewhat choppy reading.
"19 Varieties of Gazelle" is about freedom. The Gazelle has this grace and elegance and may roam wherever it's heart takes it. A sense of jealousy for this Gazelle is given off. The idea that people are more restrained, they are told "Don't bother to go there,...It's too far" (88). This sense of reservation and being compared to something that lacks all restraints.
"A Single Slice Reveals Them" also compares people to something else, in this case it is the apple. This poem also illustrates peoples restraints. In this poem Nye keeps it short and broken up. People are like this contained apple. While you bite the apple to reveal the inside, people must "talk and talk and talk to let somebody in" (124). This same idea of peoples reservations and a kind of shell around them stoping them from being as free as the Gazelle are themes these two seemingly different poems share.
Irene Bloomer
I like the point you made here. I think Nye had a really great way of comparing people to big ideas like freedom and reservation, but also knew how to incorporate animals as well. I also think that, as you pointed out, her structure mirrors these ideas in a way that, before even reading the poem, you can actually "see" what she is going to discuss.
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