Be Glad Your Nose is on Your Face
By Jack Prelutsky
Be glad your nose is on your face,
not pasted on some other place-
for if it were where it is not,
you might dislike your nose a lot.Imagine if your precious nose
were sandwiched in between your toes,
that clearly would not be a treat,
for you’d be forced to smell your feet.Your nose would be a source of dread
were it attached atop your head,
it soon would drive you to despair,
forever tickled by your hair.Within your ear, your nose would be
an absolute catastrophe,
for when you were obliged to sneeze,
your brain would rattle from the breeze.Your nose, instead, through thick and thin,
remains between your eyes and chin,
not pasted on some other place-
be glad your nose is on your face!
Summary of Be Glad Your Nose is on Your Face
- Popularity of “Be Glad Your Nose is on Your Face”: ‘Be Glad Your Nose is on Your Face’ is a playful and imaginative poem by Jack Prelutsky, a celebrated American poet known for his work with children. First published in 2008, it encourages readers to appreciate the seemingly simple fact that their noses are located where they belong – on their faces! The poem uses humor and outlandish scenarios to emphasize this point.
- “Be Glad Your Nose is on Your Face” As a Representative of Fun: This lighthearted poem centers on the appropriate placement of our noses. The speaker begins by playfully suggesting we should be thankful our noses are on our faces, immediately posing the question of what might happen if they were elsewhere. Prelutsky skillfully uses a series of humorous “what if” scenarios, imagining the nose stuck between the toes, on top of the head, or even inside the ear, to demonstrate the absurdity and discomfort of alternative placements. The poem’s success lies in its ability to make readers consider something commonplace – the nose – in a new and amusing way.
- Major Themes in “Be Glad Your Nose is on Your Face”: Acceptance, gratitude, and appreciating the present are central themes. While playful in tone, the poem subtly encourages a mindset of contentment. The nose serves as a metaphor for all things we often take for granted. Through comical analogies, Prelutsky highlights the importance of being satisfied with what we have and appreciating the order of things. This whimsical description of nose placement subtly conveys a message of thankfulness.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in “Be Glad Your Nose is on Your Face”
Literary devices are tools writers use to craft their unique style and effectively convey ideas, feelings, and emotions. Jack Prelutsky skillfully employs several literary devices in this poem to share his perspective on appreciating the natural order.
- Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds within words in close proximity. For example, in the line “you might dislike your nose a lot,” the repetition of the short “i” sound in “might” and “dislike” creates a pleasing musicality.
- Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds. Consider the line, “forever tickled by your hair.” The repeated “r” sound contributes to the rhythm and emphasizes the unpleasantness of the image.
- Enjambment: Enjambment occurs when a phrase or sentence continues from one line to the next without punctuation, creating a sense of flow and momentum. For example:
“Imagine if your precious nose
were sandwiched in between your toes,”The thought isn’t completed until the second line, drawing the reader forward.
- Imagery: Prelutsky masterfully uses imagery – language that appeals to the five senses – to paint vivid pictures in the reader’s mind. Lines like “be glad your nose is on your face” and “your brain would rattle from the breeze” create immediate and memorable sensory experiences.
- Metaphor: While not a direct metaphor, the entire poem operates as an extended metaphor. The nose represents anything we possess and often take for granted. The poem isn’t really about noses; it’s about appreciating what we have.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in “Be Glad Your Nose is on Your Face”
Poetic devices are techniques employed by poets to create rhythm, sound, and meaning. Prelutsky uses several poetic devices to enhance the playful quality of his poem.
- End Rhyme: The poem relies heavily on end rhyme, where words at the end of lines rhyme or nearly rhyme. This creates a musical effect and reinforces the poem’s lighthearted tone. Examples include the slant rhyme pairs “treat/feet,” “nose/toes,” and “thin/chin.”
- Quatrain: A quatrain is a four-line stanza, a common poetic form. Each stanza in this poem is a quatrain, providing a structured and consistent rhythm.
- Rhyme Scheme: The poem consistently follows an AABB rhyme scheme. This simple, predictable rhyme scheme contributes to the poem’s accessibility and playful nature.
- Stanza: A stanza is a group of lines forming a unit in a poem. This poem consists of five stanzas, each comprising four lines (a quatrain), creating a visual and rhythmic balance.
Quotes to be Used
The lines stated below are particularly effective for teaching children to appreciate their appearances and to be thankful for what they have, without seeking to change it.
“Your nose, instead, through thick and thin,
remains between your eyes and chin,
not pasted on some other place-
be glad your nose is on your face!”
This final stanza serves as a playful yet poignant reminder to appreciate the simple things and be grateful for the way things are.