The Station

The speaker observes a dirty gas station where a man and his sons work. The station is covered with a "disturbing, over-all / black translucency" that the speaker finds dangerous when she issues a warning to be careful lighting matches in the vicinity (4-5). The main focus of the poem is the dirty appearance of the station, its workers, and their living quarters behind the station.

The Home

Behind the gas pumps, the speaker observes what appears to be living quarters. A cement porch is decorated with wicker furniture, a plant, a sleeping dog, an embroidered doily, and comic books. All of these are evidence of the working family's personal life. It is these details that cause the speaker to change her tone because it is clear that someone takes the time to care for this environment and for the men. The speaker sees this as evidence of...