In Helen Chasin's poem "City Pigeons" old people are compared to birds. To achieve in making this comparison make sense and be valid, Chasin make use of words that are normally associated with birds but uses them in a way that relates to old people as well. In fact, if you were to take away the first three lines of her poem, it would be difficult to tell whether the author was describing birds or old people unless told so.
             In order to make the simile of "Old people are like birds" (Line 1) apply throughout the poem, Chasin has to continually use words and images that describe both birds and old people. She does this very well throughout the poem by using a skillful combination of verbs and adjectives that apply to both birds and old people and also make sense in comparing both.
             In the first sentence, the word flock comes into play; "the same words flock to the mind's eye" (Line 2). In this sentence she is establishing the framework for the rest of the poem. She not only uses this sentence to let the reader know what she is going to be expanding on, but she also uses this sentence to immediately integrate the verb "flock" which enables her to begin to encompass her simile into the poem. Chasin is using the word "flock" because it can pertain to both birds and old people. A flock characteristically describes a group of birds but is also used, as in this case, to describe an action. By using this word Chasin successfully introduces the reader to her simile.
             "They perch in public places" (Line 4). In this line Chasin is once more using a word that generally makes people think about birds and is using it in a context that applies to old people as well. When I read this line I imagined a park in the city where old people come to sit outside and "people" watch. I can picture them "perching" on a park bench and even feeding seed to th...