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Cozy ApologiaShort story by Rita Dove

Flashcards for Cozy Apologia

27 cards · 3 characters · 8 key quotes · 4 symbols · 12 literary devices. Nothing is saved and nothing is asked for — close the tab and the deck resets.

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Characters · 3

  1. Fred (The Beloved)

    Fred is the beloved subject of Rita Dove's lyric poem "Cozy Apologia," a quiet, domestic presence whose very normalcy becomes the poem's central revelation.

    character

  2. The Speaker (Rita Dove)

    The Speaker is the only voice in the poem and serves as its central consciousness—a mature woman who talks to her partner, Fred, with a blend of tender confession and sharp self-awareness.

    character

  3. Youthful Heroes (Remembered Lovers)

    The Youthful Heroes—the speaker's past lovers that she remembers—appear in "Cozy Apologia" not as fully realized individuals but as a blend of half-remembered memories that she consciously dismisses to celebrate her current love, Fred.

    character

Key quotes · 8

  1. “I could pick anything and think of you—”

    "I could pick anything and think of you—" appears in Rita Dove's poem Cozy Apologia, a heartfelt love letter to her husband, the writer Fred Viebahn.

    Poetic speaker (Rita Dove)

  2. “outside, the world's a raging fury.”

    In Rita Dove's poem Cozy Apologia, from her 1999 collection On the Bus with Rosa Parks, the line "Outside, the world's a raging fury" sets up a striking contrast.

    Rita Dove (lyric speaker / poet) · Cozy Apologia

  3. “I'll light a candle, find that song, the one we hummed all last summer.”

    This line is from Rita Dove's poem "Cozy Apologia," which she wrote for her husband, the writer Fred Viebahn.

    Rita Dove (the speaker/narrator)

  4. “How I adore the room's great dark, and you.”

    This line is taken from Rita Dove's poem "Cozy Apologia," which appears in her 1995 collection Mother Love.

    Rita Dove (lyric speaker)

  5. “Fred, you're the one I want to grow old with.”

    This tender declaration is from Rita Dove's poem "Cozy Apologia," found in her 1999 collection On the Bus with Rosa Parks.

    Rita Dove (lyric speaker)

  6. “Those heroes of my twenties were all wrong.”

    "Those heroes of my twenties were all wrong" appears in Rita Dove's poem Cozy Apologia (found in On the Bus with Rosa Parks, 1999).

    Rita Dove (lyric speaker)

  7. “Now I see: the trick is in the choosing.”

    This line is from Rita Dove's poem "Cozy Apologia," featured in her 1999 collection On the Bus with Rosa Parks.

    Rita Dove (lyric speaker/narrator)

  8. “I used to love a man who rode motorcycles, who played guitar and had no pity.”

    This line opens Rita Dove's poem "Cozy Apologia," which appears in her 1999 collection On the Bus with Rosa Parks.

    Poetic Speaker (Rita Dove) · Cozy Apologia

Symbols · 4

  1. Firelight and Cozy Interior

    In Rita Dove's "Cozy Apologia," the firelight and inviting home setting represent the safety of a mature, established love.

  2. Hurricane Floyd

    In Rita Dove's poem Cozy Apologia, Hurricane Floyd symbolizes the intense and disruptive nature of passionate love.

  3. The Sweater / Domestic Warmth

    In Rita Dove's "Cozy Apologia," the sweater symbolizes the warmth of a mature and settled love.

  4. Youthful Heroes / Past Lovers

    In Rita Dove's poem Cozy Apologia, the youthful heroes and past lovers the speaker remembers — those swaggering, larger-than-life figures from comic books and teenage dreams — embody the romantic idealism and passion of youth.

Literary devices · 12

  1. Apostrophe

    The poem speaks directly to Dove's husband, Fred Viebahn, creating a continuous apostrophe.

  2. Juxtaposition

    Dove contrasts the intense emotions of adolescence—like having a crush on Bobby and the fantasy heroes found in comic books and pop culture—with the ordinary domestic scene of a hurricane evening spent with her husband.

  3. Imagery

    Dove anchors the poem in rich sensory details that bring the domestic scene to life.

  4. Allusion

    The poem connects to the chivalric and courtly love tradition through its title, 'apologia,' and the speaker's youthful infatuations with heroic figures—'a boy who could easily / have been a god.'

  5. Metaphor

    Dove employs metaphor to enhance the ordinary without making it overly sentimental.

  6. Irony

    The title of the poem, 'Cozy Apologia,' carries an ironic twist: an apologia refers to a formal defense or justification, typically a serious form of rhetoric, but the word 'cozy' immediately undermines that seriousness.

  7. Volta

    Though 'Cozy Apologia' isn't a strict sonnet, it does have a turn similar to a volta in its final movement.

  8. Lyric Poem

    The poem fits neatly within the lyric tradition: it’s brief, personal, written in the first person, and revolves around a single emotional insight rather than a storyline.

  9. Free Verse

    Dove writes in free verse, avoiding fixed meter or rhyme scheme, which enhances the poem's themes.

  10. Understatement

    The poem's emotional impact lies in what it chooses not to express dramatically.

  11. Motif

    The motif of storm and shelter weaves throughout the poem, shaping its emotional landscape.

  12. Pathetic Fallacy

    The hurricane in the poem isn’t just scenery; it reflects the emotional turmoil of romantic love.