Question

Which poetic technique is used in the first three lines of the taxi?

Answer 1

The correct answer is "Apostrophe, allusion".

The first three lines in Amy Lowell's poem "The Taxi", read as follows:

"When I go away from you

The world beats dead

Like a slackened drum"

In poetry, Apostrophe refers to a literary device in which the narrator adresses an absent figure. In this case, the poet is speaking of a certain person that seems to be elusive in her life, which brings a great deal of grief upon her.

On the other hand, an Allusion is composed as an indirect reference that is lacking in detail and feels vague. These usually present themselves when the narrator is recalling a past event or figure that we have no information about. In the beginning of this poem, the author introduces her longing for a specific person that we don't know, displaying a clear case of Allusion.

Hope this helps!