Writers use comparisons to help readers revisit or understand unique life experiences. Here are eleven comparative devices we know best, geared to our troubled times: Metaphor: COVID genomes are lethal ping-pong balls of contagion Simile (with personification): The virus crept into a cluster of friends, grinning like a long-lost buddy Onomatopoeia: ‘uhhhhhh!’ (gasping for air) Foreshadowing: Cassie held her cellphone close to her mouth, laughing while her college buddies grab