"Sonrisas" by Pat Mora - Internal Structure

The poem talks about two different types of women. One is uptight, rarely smiling and all about “budgets, tenure, curriculum,” while the other is laughing, smiling and loud. To highlight the differences between the two groups, Mora splits the poem into two stanzas, one for each group. In each stanza he also takes a similar structure to describe both groups. The two sets are compared based on how they drink coffee. The uptight women are drinking black coffee, serious and somber while the loud laughing women are drinking a light-hearted milk coffee. One group is wearing crisp beige suits while the other swirls around in faded dresses.

Mora picked a set of differences are talked about them in each stanza. At the end, the poet mentions the differences between their eyes. One to avoid and one dark and mesmerizing.

Sonrisas’ organization lends itself from the two rooms that the poet mentions. The first room in one stanza, the second in the next. It’s like a table where the differences are off to the sides and split up.