Fantastic Metaphor

“The River Mumma Wants Out” employs metaphors that can be considered fantastic in that they do not present plausible situations. At some points, the fantasy is mildly comedic, as with the bullrushes wanting to be palm trees. The metaphor wherein the “river is ostriching into the sand” presents an image that is essentially impossible to imagine. However, if the poet merely stated that the water was disappearing into the sand, the meaning conveyed would be only that the river is drying up. Thus, by using the fantastic metaphor, a more complex image is provided. A sentiment of fear is attributed to the river and so also to nature, as when an ostrich inserts its head in the sand because it is afraid.

The main metaphor of this poem is that of the River Mumma. As a mythical character, the River Mumma herself can be seen as a...