* The power of memory. Dove uses memory as a way to explore the past and present, and to connect the sisters to their shared history.
* The importance of place. Dove's poems often explore the relationship between people and their environment, and the sisters' relationship to their hometown of Akron, Ohio, is a central theme in the collection.
* The search for identity. Dove's poems explore the sisters' search for their own identities, both as individuals and as part of a family.
* The cycle of life. Dove's poems explore the cycle of life, from birth to death, and the ways in which the sisters are connected to this cycle.