Analysis of "Otherwise" by Jane Kenyon

In “Otherwise”, Jane Kenyon uses an aware and thankful tone with the use of repetition and imagery to show how someone fortunate should realize that their life could’ve turned out completely different and to show how life changes over time and is not always the same. She repeats the phrase “It might have been otherwise” after almost every statement to emphasize how important it is to be aware of how lucky they are and to not take it for granted because life could change any day. He/she gets out of bed with two “strong legs” and sits at the table with “silver candlesticks.” She uses those details to show that the person is very fortunate and maybe even wealthy. The last sentence says “But one day, I know, it will be otherwise”, which suggests that the person’s life is just in one stage and that any day could turn out to be different whether it is for the good or worse. Kenyon uses this tone and literary technique to show how your life can change at any time and that you should not take it for granted.