In "In Reference to Her Children," what ongoing metaphor is maintained throughout the poem?

The ongoing metaphor in "In Reference to Her Children" by Gwendolyn Brooks is centered around birds. In the poem, the speaker uses bird imagery to represent her children and their journey into the world. Birds symbolize the duality of nurturing and letting go; just as a mother bird cares for her chicks while ultimately preparing them to fly away, the speaker reflects on her role as a caregiver while acknowledging the independence that her children must eventually embrace.

This avian metaphor effectively conveys complex emotions such as love, hope, and the bittersweet nature of motherhood. The way birds are portrayed allows the reader to grasp the nuances of the speaker's feelings regarding her children growing up and departing, highlighting the universal experience of parental love and separation. Other options, like flowers, stars, or rivers, do not encapsulate the same level of meaning or continuity in illustrating the relationship between the speaker and her children as birds do in this poem.