When first her beauty met my eyes,
Cupids arrow found my breast.
With time and knowledge, I did realize,
Though packed in beauty, she was a pest!
Variety is the spice of life, and allusions give you other ways to say the same old thing. If you are writing for a general audience, it may not pay to get into too much classical allusion. Stick with
associations that are well known. Cupid and love is an excellent one. You can also make new allusions to the gods of todays pop culture. References to singers or sports stars can bring instant recognition
in a wide audience. Not only do allusions allow for variety, but they also offer compactness through shared experience. Rather than strictly mythological characters and pop icons, one could also allude to other
items of shared experience. For instance:
She floated with the subtle grace of a Hail Mary pass.
And as she passed in front of me, I got a look at her... |