2. Lines 3-7 describe the wooden staircase that is
the metaphor or image for the mother's life. What
might the "tacks," "splinters," and "boards torn
up" in the staircase represent? What could the
"Bare" places stand for? Finally, what do these
details reveal about the poem's speaker?
Highlight these details in the poem. Use them as
textual evidence for the annotations that you
make to explain what each of these represents.