A Consumer's Report (Peter Porter)

Question 1

What is the context of this poem?

Answer 1

Porter presents “life” as a product that the poet received from the manufacturer to use. Now, he writes about the report of how the product worked for him.

Question 2

What is the meaning of this poem?

Answer 2

‘A Consumer’s Report’ is the report of the product that the poet has been using throughout his life, and Porter emphasizes that life was overrated.

Question 3

What is the language in this poem?

Answer 3

Porter uses literary devices such as metaphors, similes, tautology, alliteration, and enjambment.

Question 4

What is the structure of this poem?

Answer 4

This poem is a free verse that is 51 lines long. The first three lines act as the prologue of the report and the second section contains the poet’s feedback. Moreover, the poet writes this poem from a first-person point-of-view.