Monkey See and Hear

Long, dangly legs and arms,

I knew he was a charm,

A smile or a frown,

But he is not feeling down,

With dark, blank, empty eyes,

Does he want to cry?

No, I want to cry.

He is soft, quiet, observant,

A friend, companion, not a servant,

He listens, sits, and hangs around,

His brown cushioned tummy round,

He is there for me,

A smile he brings to please.

This poem describes my miniature toy monkey that my boyfriend gave me. I am really interested in everything about monkeys because I believe that they are just happy animals that make me happy, too. This poem is about sadness, yet it is also about happiness. He brings me happiness because he looks funny with his crazy, long arms and legs, but reminds me of the people that I cannot be with.  Every time I look into his dark eyes I think of my family at home, my boyfriend who I constantly miss, and how different life would be if I were to live in a foreign country.

Personification is the poetic device that I use in the poem. I personify my monkey as a friend or companion that I see every day. He sits by my lamp in my dorm everyday and just watches me do homework or surf the internet. Sometimes I take a break and look at him and just think of the times that I spent with the ones that I love. I personify him as a person when I use the words “listens”, “sits”, and phrases such as “hangs around”. This creates an image of a person who is a friend who is also like a confidant, which I believe my monkey is. Every time I look into his black eyes, it makes me analyze my feelings about the things or people in my life. From there I feel so emotional to the point of crying. Also, he is more than just a toy, but companion that I often pour my thoughts and feelings to. He is there when I’m lonely, far away from friends and family.  There is repetition of “He is” because this monkey friend of mine exists.