Final answer:
Richard Blanco's poem 'One Today' uses imagery, symbols, and structured repetition to develop a theme of unity through diversity, demonstrating that despite varied backgrounds, people share common experiences and emotions.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the poem One Today by Richard Blanco, the poet develops the theme of unity through diversity by highlighting shared experiences and common human emotions, irrespective of our varied backgrounds. Blanco uses imagery and symbols that are familiar to a broad range of people to evoke ideas of togetherness and collective identity. For instance, he speaks of the sun shining on 'fields of wheat and sky of our ancestors' storms', capturing how nature is a universal experience, yet also a holder of personal and collective histories.
The line 'my face, your face, millions of faces in morning's mirrors' also illuminates the theme, suggesting our shared morning routines that mirror each other’s, despite our unique individual stories. The use of the structured repetition across the poem emphasizes continuity and a connection between different lives and experiences.
Moreover, Blanco reinforces the theme of commonality by reframing the notion of 'today' as one shared moment. This collective 'today' knits together the histories, actions, and emotions of people from disparate walks of life, suggesting a shared humanity that transcends our differences.