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 "...

• Word Count: 197
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: High School

... if you sell the cattle they go straight to the slotter house its like being in line to die. Also like the quote from Johnathon Wempe, " I hate this drought because I can't start camp fires." Also the ranchers will loose all their cattle and that will cost them a lot of money and money is like a best friend everyone likes it. We should save as much water as possible ... . If possible we should only try to water once every other week the grass wont like that but it will help over time. So we can save the farmers and ranchers from this nasty drought ... it's eating up our water. Obviously,...

• Word Count: 247
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: High School