In “Transitioning” Christina uses figurative language like similes and imagery. The details in the poem paint a picture in the reader’s mind. She is leaving for college and it’s a large step for her and her mother. The simile she used in line 3 “Like sand in an hour glass” shows how time is slipping away slowly but surely. Imagery comes into play in lines 9 and 10. The reader can visualize a mother helping her child pack her things and put them in the car. She also is excited for the transition but she is also fearful. Her use of figurative language makes this poem lively.