Claudia Arevalo-Lowe

English 102

August 11, 1998

While reading "The Branch" a feeling of immense imagination and easiness is experienced. It is not only that poem is expressing an action, but also the action is done in such a way that makes the reader think of how easy it can be to solve inconsequential accidents or problems. It also shows how easy it can be appreciate a resourceful person.

For unknown reasons, the mirror in the bathroom cabinet has been broken and instead of going out to buy a new one from the store, the father uses his imagination by making the crack on the mirror work as a canvas. The father changes an ugly crack into something beautiful, a branch with leaves. It is implied in the line that reads "that was his way of mending things" that the father could restore objects and transformed them into something more pleasant.

Even though it is unclear how old the son is, just like when very young, he appears to become playful and happy as he watches his father shave in front of a mirror that will distort any image reflecting from it. This scenario gives the reader the feeling that the son is truly appreciating his father.

The father seems to be resourceful as proven by the branch he paints, and appears to be stern as proven by getting fully dressed before shaving. As he shaves, his son can see his "father’s face are joining up," meaning, perhaps, that his facial expressions are coming together and that the father is making sense to his son, who finds only one obstruction from view "his soapy nostrils disappear among the leaves."

After reading this poem, a person can see how easily an inconsequential accident or minor problem can be solved, if the person is willing to use imagination. The poem also gives the reader a new appreciation for a person who solves problems regardless of how minute the problems may be.