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1.)
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15.)

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14,

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Next time what I’d do is look at
the earth before saying anything. I’d stop
just before going into a house
and be an emperor for a minute
and listen better to the wind
or to the air being still.

When anyone talked to me, whether
blame or praise or just passing time,
I’d watch the face, how the mouth
has to work, and see any strain, any
sign of what lifted the voice.

And for all, I’d know more -- the earth
bracing itself and soaring, the air
finding every leaf and feather over
forest and water, and for every person
the body glowing inside the clothes
like a light.

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15. This desire to seek the “body glowing inside the clothes” suggests that the speaker feels she has missed out on learning from those around her; by being more observant she can discover the inner beauty of others, which, in turn, might make her a more enlightened person.

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14. By watching others more, the speaker feels she could better see their inner light.

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13. The earth is personified to show the important connection it has with human life.

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12. Natural imagery related to forests is used in the final stanza.

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11.  She would “know more” if she looks to the world around her for guidance.

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10. The speaker wishes she could be a better observer.

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9. Because of her consistent use of enjambment, we see the perpetual nature of the speaker to ramble on and talk too much.

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8. The speaker plans on “[watching] the face” so as to take better cues from people.

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7. This idea of listening is repeated throughout the poem to highlight the common flaw that many people have in not paying attention to their word.

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6. The “wind or the air being still” symbolizes the speaker’s desire to listen better.

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5. The idea of being “an emperor” represents the speaker’s desire to wisely control her thoughts and actions.

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4. This idea of regret is also seen in the repeated use of “I’d;”using “would” in its past conditional sense create a melancholy mood by focusing attention on irreparable past mistakes.

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3. As seen in the first lines, “Next time what I’d do is look at the earth before saying anything,” it is clear the speaker may have said something she now regrets.

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2. The speaker is contemplating her actions and dealings with others.

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1. The title “Next Time” suggests the disappointed and regretful tone of the poem.