Metaphor: The poem uses metaphors to describe the experience of returning home. For example, the line "I am a salmon, leaping up the falls of the river" compares the speaker's journey home to the arduous journey of a salmon swimming upstream.
Personification: The poem personifies the speaker's house, giving it human qualities. For example, the line "the house is waiting, its eyes dark with expectation" suggests that the house is eagerly anticipating the speaker's return.
Alliteration: The poem uses alliteration, the repetition of consonant sounds, to create a sense of rhythm and musicality. For example, the line "the river runs, rocks rushing, reeds rustling" uses the repetition of the "r" sound to create a sense of movement and flow.
Assonance: The poem also uses assonance, the repetition of vowel sounds, to create a sense of harmony and unity. For example, the line "the hills rise, round and green, the sky shines, blue and serene" uses the repetition of the "i" and "e" sounds to create a sense of peace and tranquility.
Imagery: The poem uses vivid imagery to create a strong sense of place and atmosphere. For example, the line "the fields are gold, the trees are green, the air is fresh and clean" paints a vivid picture of the rural landscape that the speaker is returning to.
These poetic devices work together to create a rich and multi-layered poem that explores the themes of homecoming, memory, and the passage of time.