Oranges By Gary Soto

6 Pages 1527 Words

After reading “Oranges,” a poem by Gary Soto, the only words that run through my head are “how cute.” This poem is something a girl would call “the perfect date.” There are many details throughout this poem, which aid in keeping the reader intrigued.
Detail can be a powerful tool for a poet, nonetheless any writer. Too much detail overwhelms the main idea, and too little makes the piece of work dry and bland. One can describe events in a simplistic style, without any figurative language or writing devices, or one can choose to fill their work with fancy words that catch the reader’s attention. This poem is just right. “Oranges” is about a young boy’s first walk with a girl. This poem shows how the simplest things in life may have the most tremendous impact on a person.
This poem opens with a delicate flourish of description and detail and ends the same. Soto not only uses detail to describe the occasion, but also describes the weather. He describes the weather as, “cold, and weighted down (3).” Describing the weather that way creates powerful imagery. This eludes the reader to sympathize with the boy. It is cold outside but yet he is taking a girl out for a walk. This reminds the reader of the fragile nature of innocence of and youth. What grown man would walk with a woman when it’s cold and windy outside? Yet the young and idealistic boy sets out to try and impress his sweetheart on this seemingly inappropriate day. The sweet sincerity of this moment is not and cannot be lost on the audience. The poem continues with telling the reader that the boy has two oranges and a nickel in his jacket. Looking back, the reader questions the presence of the two oranges. Why on earth would a boy carry around two oranges? The answer to this is found later on in the poem/story.
He picks up the girl at her house, which he also describes as “the one whose/porch light burned yellow (10-11).” Little details about ...