"Where do I want her to hurry to? To her grave? To mine? Where one day she might stand all grown?" This line reflects the mother's deep contemplation of time and mortality as she navigates daily life with her daughter, questioning the haste inherent in their mundane routines.
"But the last and, cunningly placed at the end of the second line, transfers us abruptly into a new tone and territory." The placement of words is pivotal in Howe's poetry. This indicates her mastery in manipulating narrative pacing to generate emotional effects.
"The repeated conjunction and...indicates a desultory list of places they must stop at, and the repeated command to Hurry up honey can be seen to interrupt the child's own consciousness." This reveals how daily tasks can overshadow the innocence and rhythm of childhood.
"Today, when all the errands are finally done, I say to her, Honey I'm sorry I keep saying Hurry...taking the house keys from my hands." This moment captures a role reversal, suggesting the complexities of parental relationships and how children absorb the urgency of adult life.
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