Strawberries! — Summary

Hazel McKayCheerful

Little red drops of sweetness, Little red drops of goodness. I look forward to strawberry season, Where I eat a ton everyday!

Learn Poems app

Try the Learn Poems app

Everything from the website trainer, and more: new exercises, voice recording and sharing, reminders, quick review.

Hazel McKay's "Strawberries!" is a short, cheerful poem about one thing: the speaker's love of strawberries. There's no hidden puzzle here. The speaker simply tells us how much they enjoy the fruit and how much they look forward to the time of year when it's available.

The best image comes right at the start, where strawberries become "little red drops of sweetness" and "little red drops of goodness." Calling them drops makes them feel small, juicy, and precious, like something you'd want to catch on your tongue. The repeated "Little red drops of..." gives the opening a playful, almost song-like rhythm. The word "goodness" suggests the speaker thinks of strawberries as more than tasty; they seem like a treat that's good in a happy, wholesome way.

The last two lines add excitement and a touch of exaggeration. Eating "a ton" every day is clearly not literal, but it shows how eager the speaker is. The exclamation mark in the title and the upbeat tone leave a bright, childlike, joyful mood, the feeling of waiting for something you love and finally getting it.

Read also

More by Hazel McKay

All poems
SadHazel McKay

Terrains

The tough ground hurts my feet as I walk along. I'm tired and there is no stream in which I can quench my thirst. There is not a tree in sight that can provide me with shade. When will my journey end?
DreamyHazel McKay

Silhouettes

We stand at the gate, Two best friends, Looking across the field, Two best friends,
CheerfulHazel McKay

Joy

I'm not happy, I'm not ecstatic. I'm not excited. I'm feeling