Poem Reflection: Woman on a Beach

The poem Woman on a Beach written by Anne Michaels does an exquisite job at making an everyday event, seem so unique and unordinary. The author is really able to capture the reader’s attention by using exceptional adjectives to describe the setting and environment of the beach. This author is able to make the reader feel like they are actually there, through the use of their imagery. She is really able to describe the setting, so that the reader can almost feel the relaxation the women are feeling and have somewhat of the same experience. The symbolism however, is not as noticeable as the imagery but is still present. The main piece of symbolism is the use of the “red shirt”. Anne makes it notable that the red shirt stands out from the pale sky. The red shirt could symbolize the women in general, and how together they are strong and support one another so much that it would stand out to the rest of the people on the beach, or in this case stands out from the sky. She composes the thought of the beach being peaceful enough to allow someone to fall asleep on it, and able to spend the whole day on the beach, it seems very relaxing. By the end of this poem I got the feeling that being on a beach is an exquisite way to relax, and calm yourself down, and just be alone with your thoughts even if you’re with a group of