Hazel Tells Laverne

     I really liked the relaxed tone Katharyn Howd Machan uses in "Hazel Tells Laverne." As I read the poem, I noticed one literary technique she utilizes that conveys the true meaning of the poem, and that is her use of diction. Machan wrote in extremely informal language, seemingly southern. She drops the final g on words like "cleanin," "swimmin" and "tryin" just as we often do in Indiana. She writes in the way we speak, like saying "sida the bowl" (Machan)  instead of "side of the bowl." By using the accent Hazel would talk in, instead of writing the poem in formal English, I feel the reader gets a good look into what Hazel's character truly is. While reading the poem, I felt as though someone was actually telling me a story, instead of me reading a poem. Without this crucial literary technique, I don't think the reader would be as engaged in the story or really understand the meaning.
     Another aspect of the poem I liked is the title, "Hazel Tells Laverne." The title of the poem tells the reader from the beginning that this is the telling of a story from one person to another. This acts as a clue that the poem will be informal.