Formula Poem: I used to … poem

The poem entitling Used to Be narrated by Anthony Brown is suitable for junior high school students. The students will easily find the meaning of the words because most of the words are in denotative meaning. Moreover, the form of formula poem is easily written by junior high school students, because it contradicts about what happened to the students in the past and what is happening now. The further analysis on the poem is presented in the following.

 Used To Be

(Anthony Brown)

I used to be messy

But now I am clean

I used to be twelve

But now I am thirteen

I used to be blind

But now I can see

I used to be someone else

But now I am me

I used to be sleepy

But now I have rest

I used to be the worst

But now I am the best

              The poem is categorized as a formula poem in form “I used to…, but now…” poem. It consists of six stanzas; every stanza consists of two lines (couplet). Just like the other form of formula poems in which every line of the stanza is begun in the same way or a particular kind of word is inserted in every line of the stanza, every stanza of this poem also begins in the same way by using a particular kind of word “I used to be…” in the first line, and “But now I…” in the second line. In this poem, Brown tries to compare how he used to be, and how he is now.

a.  Rhyme

     This poem consists of twelve lines which are separated into six stanzas with a rhyming A-B pattern for all stanzas.

b.  Repetition:

     The words repeated in this poem are “I used to be....” and “But now I…” which are put in the beginning of every line of every stanza.

c.  Denotation

     Brown employs this poem by using “denotation”, meaning that he uses the “straightforward” dictionary meaning of the word. He employs it for all the words, such as:

     -    Messy    : untidy

     -    Clean     : free from dirt

     -    Worst     : worse than any other person

     -    Best  : the most excellent

d.  Connotative:

     -    Blind : unaware, unable to understand or notice

     -    See    : understand, find out, escort, think about it,

     -    Sleepy    : too busy

     -    Rest  : inactive

e.  Theme:

    The theme is about improvement. Brown describes the change of his life in which he thought it was worthless in the past, but now he thinks that he gets some improvement in his life.

f.  Tone:

    The tone is happy

g.  Point of view:

    This poem is narrated from the point of view of someone who was involved in it.

h.  Messages:

    There is a message we can take from this poem that is we should make some changes (to be better) in our life.

i.   Comment:

    This poem is suitable for junior high school students. The students will easily find the meaning of the words because most of the words are in denotative meaning. Moreover, the form of formula poem is easily written by junior high school students, because it contradicts about what happened to the students in the past and what is happening now.

              There are another examples of “I used to…, but now….poems” that are written by the third graders of elementary school in America.

I used to be a pond But now I'm a river I used to be bread But now I'm toast I used to be letters But now I'm a poem I used to be a fish But now I'm a shark I used to be lazy But now I'm active I used to be a student But now I'm a teacher (Isabella K.)

I used to be something important, But now I am not. I used to be a King Cobra, But now I am a dead leaf. I used to be a citizen, But now I am a foreigner. I used to be clear, But now I am foggy. I used to be on the yellow brick path, skipping happily, But now I am lost in the middle of an ocean. I used to be free, But now I am trapped. I used to see, But now I am blind. I used to be running, But now I am stopping. (Chanel M.)

Analyzed by Happy Kusuma Wardani and Muhammad Darojat