The two pieces I am comparing are, "And Though She Be But Little, She Is Fierce" by Lee Upton and "Heroics" by Julia Alvarez. Both of these poems are about women, and the strength and resilience of them. In Upton's poem, women are regarded as strong and fierce. She points out in her poem that the fierceness of the woman comes from her "smallness" and that is what fuels the fire within - "so the bee is more likely to attack us than the whale, so it's her smallness that gives her the leaping prowess of a flea." Similarly, in Alvarez's poem, women are also regarded as strong;, although, it is in a different light. In her piece, women have to deal with heartbreak, "You'll survive, our mothers said when romance was once," they have to go about their lives and not allow this setback to break them - they show their resilience as they continue on with life. Also, in addition to comparing the essence of these two poems, I will be comparing the elements of imagery, rhythm, and similes.