Critique: How I Learned to Sweep

            
             The poem "How I Learned to Sweep" is written beautifully. I like the rhyme scheme and the pentameter. I think its very unique how the author, Julia Alvarez, ties together the sweeping with the broom and the sweeping of the weeds from a helicopter dropping off troops. The lines " our soldiers were landing in their helicopters into jungles their propellers swept like weeds seen underwater- gives you a beautiful mental picture. You can actually see weeds underwater swaying and also weeds being swept down from a helicopter. .
             Another visually strong element is this " I swept all the harder when I watched a dozen of them die as if their dust fell through the screen upon the floor I had just cleaned." Prior to these lines the poem is talking about how as the men fall from the helicopters she sweeps harder and this quoted lines shows how it seemed like they were falling right out of the screen onto her floor. I think this is a good quality poem I would like to read more by Julia Alvarez because I liked this selection so much.