Dovina21 Feb 2006

Yes, that is useful. But actually, the anvil is a very bad idea, and I hereby renounce the thing. First, nobody pounds on an anvil with a hammer. They pound on something held against an anvil for support. Second, when I say “the anvil” then some specific anvil is implied, and it needs explaining. Third, if I say “like hammer blows on an anvil,” it sounds awful. Your interpretation of the anvil - her hard-shell of unconfidence, a thing that bounces the words back, deflected by her stubbornness – these are the kinds of things I meant.

Now it reads:
I wanted her to understand,
but words only clanked
like hammer blows.