Poem Analysis

This poem highlights the relationship between a mother and their child and how it is similar to that between a fruit and their tree. The Karaka tree represents a mother, and the orange fruit represents the child. The similarities between the two relationships are shown as the author uses imagery to convey this idea, the quote "The fruit ripen to deep orange, connected to the branch by a stem, which weakens as the fruit tissue swells" allows the reader to think of the fruit ripening just like the child growing.

The poem is broken up into three different parts without actually making three stanzas. The stages of the tree's relationship is represented in the three stages. The first stage the author discusses how the tree is strong, it is at a stage where its strength is greatly needed in order for its fruit to survive. The words "strong winds lash the forest/yet the karaka tree grows strong" symbolises that of a new mother and her baby. The mother is required to tend to the baby's every need as its helpless on its own. Without the mothers care and protection the baby would die. 
The second stage is about the fruit ripening and becoming stronger as an individual, the tree is not needed as much as it was previously. The line "the fruit ripens to a deep orange/connected to the branch by a single stem". A child grows and develops as it goes through adolescence, it becomes more independent needing less help from their mother. The begin to be connected to their mum with a weaker requirement.
The third stage discusses how the fruit has gained all it needs and leaves the safety of its tree. The words "the fruit plummets/for the first time its alone" resemble the child moving out from the sanctuary its home gives, and lives alone.

Unknown Poetic Language Features

Metonymy

Substituting the name of the feature for the name of the thing

- You have all of my heart (love)

- Please tell, I'm all ears (I'm listening)

Paradox

A statement that contradicts itself

- I can't resist anything bu temptation - Oscar Wilde

- All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others - George Orwell, Animal Farm

Synedoche

Using part of something to refer to the entire thing

- Stop wagging your tongue, (stop gossiping)

- The boots were sprinting up and down the field, (the rugby players were sprinting up and down the         field)

The Lifestyle Creed

1. What does "creed" mean?

Creed means "a system of religious belief, a faith". The only time I have seen this word used in life is when talking about the video game "Assassin's Creed".

2. Unknown words from poem

• Oleocanthal - Compound in olive oi
• Begotten - Bring into existence
• Cruciferous - Relating to plants of the cabbage family
• Annals - Historical records
• Prophets - Person who teaches god

Mr Stock told us about the compound oleocanthal which we consume through olive olive oil

I was begotten in sin

Broccoli and cauliflower are cruciferous vegetables

There are only sad stories in the annals of immigration

Prophets do not teach me, only confuse me

3. Catholic Nicene Creed

These poems are quite similar when it comes to the ideas in the poem. Yet the creators  have chosen different words to express themselves. Breslin has taken a creative approach comparing them to food, where as the Nicene is serious and uses all the proper words.

4. Why does Breslin cut up the words?

Breslin cut up words from different areas of the Nicene. She put them into a different order and mixed them with words from a healthy food book. The purpose of doing this is to express that eating healthy can be believed in like a religion. 

5. Why does she use two different fonts?

The different fonts allows the read to distinguish between what pieces are from the Nicene and what pieces are from healthy eating.

6. Why do you think the author has juxtaposed the Nicene Creed with words such as “brain boosters”, “antioxidants”, and “good cholesterol”? What meaning is she trying to convey? Is this effective? What is the effect on the reader?
I think she is trying to convey that when someone is living with a diet they can live by it by a religion. Following the rules of the diet strictly like how a follower obliges to the religion rules.

7. What is the overall purpose of the poem?
The overall purpose of the poem is to show how some people live by their diet religiously.

8. What is the overall tone of the poem?
I think the overall tone of the poem is confusing. There is no clear indication of what the theme is. The words don't match and the use of food items doesn't allow the poem to flow.

9. What ideas do the last two lines suggest?
I am not quite sure. People use good cholesterol to mock healthy lifestyles sometimes. So maybe the author is using it to mock religion.

10. Do You like this Poem?
I don't like this poem, it doesn't flow well and is very confusing. The two subjects don't mix well, they don't lap onto one another. The idea of what the author is trying to convey is also quite blurred, it isn't clear which causes confusion. Having no clear idea in a text makes it pointless as there is no reason for it.