Figurative Language In Mark Aiello's Chapter One

“A book may be compared to the life of your neighbor. If it be good, it cannot last too long; if bad, you cannot get rid of it too early.” - Henry Brooke. This quote mimics Mark Aiello’s poem, comparing the first chapter of a book to someone’s childhood, or first chapter of life. Also like the quote, his poem explains how the first chapter of a book is very pleasurable, but it does not last long until the disturbing plot comes into play. Mark Aiello’s poem, “Chapter One”, is very literally about the first chapter of a novel. Furthermore, Aiello’s use of figurative language allows the reader to interpret the poem in numerous ways beyond the main idea. While analyzing the poem, the reader is permitted to compare the first chapter of a book to

one’s own life. His poem explores the nature of the first chapter of any book while relating it to the childhood, or early life, of a reader.
The poet who wrote this poem really enjoys the first chapter of a book.

This is displayed in lines one through five, as he expresses through imagery the bliss of a first chapter. Many examples of positive imagery is displayed when he says lines such as, “how even the banisters are polished for us, / that we feel free to walk out / with the lady of the house and smoke / a cigarette, down the grand alley of elms” (9-12). The fact that the poet enjoys the first chapter of a book helps develop a positive connotation towards the chapter, which helps contribute to the innocence of the first chapter. When readers relate this to their own life, they will think back at how joyous and buoyant their early life was. The first chapter and early childhood go hand-in-hand because they are both so simple. The first chapter is mostly the exposition, where you explain the time, place, and characters. Nothing that furthers the plot or suspense of the book is introduced in the first chapter. The poet institutes this simplicity by saying, “Nothing really happens now, / beyond the delivery of breakfast trays” (15-16). This can relate to one’s own childhood because no sense of responsibility is established. So, someone will be stuck being a kid with no worries of the outside world and no mature

responsibilities.
Along with the poet stressing the plainness of the first chapter, it is also implied that once the readers read more chapters, the book will not be as blissful as the first chapter was. He explains this by saying, “It’s not scheduled to rain / for two more chapters, and no one / who matters to us has died yet” (17-19). This can relate to one’s real life also. Once someone grows older, they are forced to gain more responsibility and maturity. With this, life does not become as simple as it once was when they were a child. This contributes to the mood of the poem by giving it a sense of suspense because you don’t know what will happen in the chapters to come. Like in someone’s life, you never know when someone they love will die around them. They also do not know what other bad news will come to them like a job rejection, their parents getting divorced, or other disturbing things that may happen.
With all of this, it is clear to say that the poem contains a double-meaning, the first chapter of a book and the childhood of one’s life. This is displayed by Aiello saying, “no one / who matters to us has died yet.” (18-19). In book sense, no one ever gets attached to a character until they meet them, find out their story, and decipher their personality. After all this, when they die, usually a reader is very distraught and thinks, “why did my favorite character have to die?”. This is all similar compared to one’s childhood. As a child, one usually does not have very close relations with anyone other than immediate family. However, once they grow up and know more people, when the person they love dies it will be a very hard time for anyone. There are more double-meanings of life and chapters throughout the poem, but the reader can interpret these in many different ways. Nonetheless, this double-meaning enhances the poem in nature and makes a reader relate it to their life and think, “what was the first chapter of my life like?”
The conclusion of the poem makes the reader think about the troubles yet to come. This is displayed in lines seventeen through eighteen when the poet says, “It’s not scheduled to rain / for two more chapters” (17-18). It implies that bad stuff is going to come, whether one likes it or not. This line contributes to the double-meaning also. The reader can take it in a way that is unpleasant, or they can take it in a way that whatever bad that will come to them in life, has not happened yet. Like in a book, the faulty material never really happens until the plot starts to develop, this can relate to a reader’s life. Someone’s whole life will not be just sunshine and rainbows, like it is in their childhood. One can take away from this that their childhood will not last forever, and one day they will have to take on responsibilities that may be displeasing. With these responsibilities, though, will come advancing maturity that will help them grow up. Overall, the end of the poem states that the first chapter is not going to last forever and unpleasant text is going to come in the next few chapters.
Like Henry Brooke said, a book may be compared to your neighbor. Mark Aiello’s poem describes the disposition of a first chapter but uses clever imagery to help readers connect it to the youth that was once in their lives. This makes me think of when my childhood was so easy and simple. No homework, tests, or jobs. No responsibilities beyond the point of putting my toys away. Looking back now, I am envious of how my life used to be. It makes me want to be a kid again and not care so much about everything around me. I think for any reader, this poem is a pure example of being a kid again. It will make a reader less edgy and uptight and actually enjoy life, beyond the stress of school, work, etcetera. That once you are less worried about all of the stressful things around you, you then can stop and enjoy your life now, and also rejoice about what your first chapter was.