My Father, Shaking Pepper By Lesley Choyce

1. My Father, Shaking Pepper By Lesley Choyce My Father, Shaking PepperIt was his only vice, I thinkfor wars were waged at dinnertime.My mother, silent, all of salt,would watch his waving wrists with frowns,his grip around the grey-white glass,his mind intent on holding ground.He seemed not sure of when's enoughbut peppered plates till seasons flew.At length, he'd sneeze a stormy gust,my mother's face spoke: justice done.She'd cluck her tongue and shake her head,he'd smile and wipe his glasses clean,then truces grew around the mealand love was served its honest share.So warmed by spices hot as this,I simply couldn't help but stare.

2. Paraphrase: It was his only fault , I think for dinner time was a time of anger and frustration. • My Father, Shaking PepperIt was his only vice, I thinkfor wars were waged at dinnertime.My mother, silent, all of salt,would watch his waving wrists with frowns,his grip around the grey-white glass,his mind intent on holding ground.He seemed not sure of when's enoughbut peppered plates till seasons flew.At length, he'd sneeze a stormy gust,my mother's face spoke: justice done.She'd cluck her tongue and shake her head,he'd smile and wipe his glasses clean,then truces grew around the mealand love was served its honest share.So warmed by spices hot as this,I simply couldn't help but stare. Poetic Devises: Alliteration: wars were waged (w sound) Hyperbole: wars were not actually waged.

3. Paraphrase: My mother, silent, disappointed, would watch him with a frown as he cracked his pepper. • My Father, Shaking PepperIt was his only vice, I thinkfor wars were waged at dinnertime.My mother, silent, all of salt,would watch his waving wrists with frowns,his grip around the grey-white glass,his mind intent on holding ground.He seemed not sure of when's enoughbut peppered plates till seasons flew.At length, he'd sneeze a stormy gust,my mother's face spoke: justice done.She'd cluck her tongue and shake her head,he'd smile and wipe his glasses clean,then truces grew around the mealand love was served its honest share.So warmed by spices hot as this,I simply couldn't help but stare. Poetic Devises: Metaphor: all of salt is a metaphor for disappointed. Alliteration:would watch his waving wrists with frowns

4. Paraphrase: He held on to the grey-white glass pepper cracker, he was going to get what he wanted. • My Father, Shaking PepperIt was his only vice, I thinkfor wars were waged at dinnertime.My mother, silent, all of salt,would watch his waving wrists with frowns,his grip around the grey-white glass,his mind intent on holding ground.He seemed not sure of when's enoughbut peppered plates till seasons flew.At length, he'd sneeze a stormy gust,my mother's face spoke: justice done.She'd cluck her tongue and shake her head,he'd smile and wipe his glasses clean,then truces grew around the mealand love was served its honest share.So warmed by spices hot as this,I simply couldn't help but stare. Poetic Devises: Alliteration: his grip around the grey-white glass (g sound)

5. Paraphrase: He was unsure of when he had enough pepper so he took his time. • My Father, Shaking PepperIt was his only vice, I thinkfor wars were waged at dinnertime.My mother, silent, all of salt,would watch his waving wrists with frowns,his grip around the grey-white glass,his mind intent on holding ground.He seemed not sure of when's enoughbut peppered plates till seasons flew.At length, he'd sneeze a stormy gust,my mother's face spoke: justice done.She'd cluck her tongue and shake her head,he'd smile and wipe his glasses clean,then truces grew around the mealand love was served its honest share.So warmed by spices hot as this,I simply couldn't help but stare. Poetic Devises: Hyperbole: although he may have crack pepper during a long period of time seasons did not actually pass.

6. Paraphrase: When finish he’d sneeze and my mother would say: justice done. • My Father, Shaking PepperIt was his only vice, I thinkfor wars were waged at dinnertime.My mother, silent, all of salt,would watch his waving wrists with frowns,his grip around the grey-white glass,his mind intent on holding ground.He seemed not sure of when's enoughbut peppered plates till seasons flew.At length, he'd sneeze a stormy gust,my mother's face spoke: justice done.She'd cluck her tongue and shake her head,he'd smile and wipe his glasses clean,then truces grew around the mealand love was served its honest share.So warmed by spices hot as this,I simply couldn't help but stare. Poetic Devises: Hyperbole: He would not actually sneeze a stormy gust.

7. Paraphrase: She’s exasperated, he tries to fix his mistake by smiling. • My Father, Shaking PepperIt was his only vice, I thinkfor wars were waged at dinnertime.My mother, silent, all of salt,would watch his waving wrists with frowns,his grip around the grey-white glass,his mind intent on holding ground.He seemed not sure of when's enoughbut peppered plates till seasons flew.At length, he'd sneeze a stormy gust,my mother's face spoke: justice done.She'd cluck her tongue and shake her head,he'd smile and wipe his glasses clean,then truces grew around the mealand love was served its honest share.So warmed by spices hot as this,I simply couldn't help but stare. Poetic Devises: Imagery:She'd cluck her tongue and shake her head,he'd smile and wipe his glasses clean,

8. Paraphrase: They forgot what had happened and love each other once again. • My Father, Shaking PepperIt was his only vice, I thinkfor wars were waged at dinnertime.My mother, silent, all of salt,would watch his waving wrists with frowns,his grip around the grey-white glass,his mind intent on holding ground.He seemed not sure of when's enoughbut peppered plates till seasons flew.At length, he'd sneeze a stormy gust,my mother's face spoke: justice done.She'd cluck her tongue and shake her head,he'd smile and wipe his glasses clean,then truces grew around the mealand love was served its honest share.So warmed by spices hot as this,I simply couldn't help but stare. Poetic Devises: Irony: The situation is ironic because one would expect some sort of domestic argument based on the poem leading up to this point. Personification: truces can’t grow.

9. Paraphrase: I could not understand how pepper could have caused all this fuss, I just simply stared. • My Father, Shaking PepperIt was his only vice, I thinkfor wars were waged at dinnertime.My mother, silent, all of salt,would watch his waving wrists with frowns,his grip around the grey-white glass,his mind intent on holding ground.He seemed not sure of when's enoughbut peppered plates till seasons flew.At length, he'd sneeze a stormy gust,my mother's face spoke: justice done.She'd cluck her tongue and shake her head,he'd smile and wipe his glasses clean,then truces grew around the mealand love was served its honest share.So warmed by spices hot as this,I simply couldn't help but stare. Poetic Devises: Personification: spices cannot warm one internally.

10. There are two overall thematic statements of this poem. The first aspect of humanity that Lesley Choyce touches on is how men tend to over-do everything. This is illustrated by that facts that this pepper war is a regular daily occurrence and because he has no idea how much pepper to put on he decides to over do it rather than under do it by “peppering till seasons flew”. The second aspect is forgiveness. After he sneezes and it is clear that his wife was right instead of the argument one would expect they forgive and forget. Not only does this surprise the reader but the boy as well- So warmed by spices hot as this, I simply couldn't help but stare.