The poem "Mama Earth" by Aponi Truss uses personification to portray the Earth as a mother figure. It describes the Earth patiently enduring abuse from humans and other creatures through exaggerated imagery like hyenas crunching her bones. The analysis identifies the poetic devices of hyperbole, imagery, personification, rhyme and symbolism used in the poem. It concludes the overall message is that time passes quickly for some but slowly for others, and while Mother Earth currently provides for humanity even when abused, she cannot tolerate such abuse indefinitely from man.

1. POEM ANALYSIS
“Mama Earth”
by Aponi Truss

2. Mama Earth
Although she whined when she was alone,
she showed no hate when she heard the hyenas’ teeth
crunching her bones.
She never started a battle like a deer with a pack of wolves.
Time flows by like a child reading a book when her life
hangs on a hook.

3. Poetic Devices
In this poem 5 poetic devices used are:
• Hyperbole
• Imagery
• Personification
• Rhyme
• Symbolism

4. Hyperbole
What is it?
Example
• Exaggerated statement or claim,
used for emphasizing and not
meant to be taken literally
• “she showed not hate when she
heard the hyenas’ teeth
crunching her bones.”
• Emphasizing the brutal
treatment of Mama Earth.

5. Imagery
Defined
Example
• Visual description of a scene
• "heard the hyenas’ teeth
crunching her bones.”
• Visual of machines in the
process of deforestation.

6. Personification
Defined
Example
• describing an inanimate object
with human-like traits and
characteristics
• “She whined…”,
• “…she showed..”
• “…her life…”
• Earth has become woman Mama
Earth

7. Rhyme
Defined
Example
• repetition of similar sounds in
two or more words, most often
at the end of lines in poems.
• “Although she whined when she
was alone, she showed no hate
when she heard the hyenas’
teeth crunching her bones.”
• “Time flows by like a child
reading a book when her life
hangs on a hook.”

8. Symbolism
Defined
Example
• An object or action that stands
for more than itself.
• “She showed no hate when she
heard the hyenas’ teeth
crunching her bones.”
• “She never started a battle like a
deer with a pack of wolves. “
• Even when abused and battered
earth continues to give.
• Earth has not fought man even
though man constantly attacks.

9. i
Message
Time passes fast for some
and slow for others but
Mother earth provides for
us even when abuse her.
Time moves and she cannot
continue to take all the
abuse man inflicts on her.