The Last Song

on the Jukebox
- David Kirby
 About the Author
David Kirby
A poet, critic, and scholar
He received a BA from
Luisiana State University,
and at the age of 24, a PhD
from John Hopkins
University.
Kirby writes distinctive
long-lined narrative poems
that braid together high
and popular culture,
personal memory,
philosophy and humor.
 About the Author
He is the author of more
than two dozen volumes
of criticism, essays,
childrens literature,
pedagogy, and poetry.
His numerous collections
of poetry include The Ha
Ha (2003), short listed for
the Griffin Poetry Prize,
and the House on the
Boulevard Street: The
New and Selected Poems
(2007), a finalist for the
 About the Author
National Book Award and the
winner of the Florida Book
Award and Southern
Independent Booksellers
Alliance Award.
Kirby has published over
20 books, including
collections of poetry and
literary criticisms and his
poems frequently appear
in The Southern Review.
His early books of verse,
Sarah Bemhardts Leg
 About the Author
(1983) and Saving the Young
Men of Vienna (1987) winner
of the Brittingham Prize,
showed the distinctive
mixture of lyricism and with
that can be found in his later
work, which began in Big
Leg music (1995).
His works have won
numerous awards,
including four Pushcart
Prizes, the James Dicky
Prize, and fellowships
 About the Author
from the National
Endorsement for the Arts
and the Guggenheim
Foundation.
Kirby has taught at FSUs
International Campuses in
Florence, Paris, Valencia,
and elsewhere.
He is also a member of the
Natonal Book Critic Circle.
 The Last Song on the Jukebox
They circle all the flats in red,
it's been a while since they have
shared a bed,
they're living separate lives.
He pours his half into his pint
a big decision must be made
tonight,
they're living separate lives.
It's been a hard and stressful day,
as he turns round to her,
he's heard to gently say.
Please don't try so hard to please
me.
take your time girl, take it easy,
like the last song on the jukebox
make it last.
Please don't take it quite so fast.
An ultimatum must be made,
if all the time together can be saved
the pressure's building up.
She want's a home she want's a
child
her days of being single, free, and
wild,
she'll quietly give them up.
He's changing everything this year.
but in his mind he's known
to whisper in her ear.
Please don't try so hard to please
me.
take your time girl, take it easy,
like the last song on the jukebox
make it last.
Please don't take it quite so fast.
A sudden opportunity to lose Please don't try so hard to please
ten years of sleep. me.
They know that this decision take your time girl, take it easy,
they must keep. like the last song on the jukebox
make it last.
To bring a child into this world, Please don't take it quite so fast.
a wasteland full of bigotry and
hurt,
it wouldn't be too good.
But then again the world could
change,
the make up of the human race
is strange
it's possible it could.

He's made his mind up, for

today,
He'd like a child with her,
but first he turns to say.
 Setting
The setting of the
poem is inside a room.
 Form and Meter
It follows a rhyme scheme of aa-bc-db
on the first stanza, a-b-a on the second stanza,
aa-bb on the third stanza, aa-b-cc-b on the
fourth, a-b-a on the fifth stanza, a repetition of
aa-bb for the sixth, tenth, and eleventh stanza,
aa for the seventh stanza, a-b-a-cc-a for the
eight stanza, and a-b-a for the ninth stanza.
The poem follows a form of 8-10-7, 8-6-
6, 8-7-11, 8-10-6-8 alternately. The meter of
this poem is octameter.
 Symbols
flats It represents the low points
and struggles of the couples relationship.
red It represents love and passion.
hard and stressful day it represents
the time they missed of being together.
last song on the jukebox It
represents the love- making of the story
that it should be savoured and cherished
for it to count.
 Imagery
The figures of speech used are the following:
Simile
.like the last song on the jukebox, make it last.
Metaphor
.a wasteland full of bigotry and hurt.

Hes changing everything this year

But in his mind hes known
To whisper in her ear
- Appeals to the sense of sight and hearing.
 Vocabulary Words
jukebox a machine that plays music when
money is put into it.
pint a unit for measuring liquids that is equal
to 0.473 l.
ultimatum a final threat that force or
punishment will be used if someone does not
do what is wanted.
wasteland a land where nothing can grow or
built
- land that is not usable
- an ugly or ruined place or area
- something that is being composed
to a large empty area of land because it has no value
or interest.