Do You Have Any Advice for those of us Just Starting Out?

Ron Koertge, in his poem “Do You Have Any Advice for those of us Just Starting Out?,” creates a creative and productive environment for the reader by creating relatable imagery that contrasts with each other. When Koertge suggests bringing a cheap notebook with “a kitten or a spaceship” on the front, the imagery is becoming more relatable to the reader. The reader can think of the dollar section at target or the many notebooks he/she has been given as presents that are cute but they have no thoughts to be put in them. The reader than suggests going outside to think and compares those who think outside the box and are happy to those that think inside the box and are un-creative by explaining the contrasting imagery of the child in the library. The third to last stanza uses the words “the higher it gets” and “grins” to show how happy the child is to be going outside of social norms. The second to last stanza uses the words “falls” and “frowns”to show that others are unhappy with those that go outside the social norms. These contrasting uses of imagery show that one is happy and creative once they begin to think outside the box, like a child would. By creating relatable and understandable imagery and contrasting the mood of a creative thinker with those of the average man/woman, Ron Koertge creates a productive environment for an aspiring writer.