21 pages • 42 minutes read
Danez SmithA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
As a prose poem, “dear white america” doesn’t follow a traditional form or set rules of meter; it is instead formatted as prose would be. Prose poems are hybrids of poetry and prose, meaning that they can also benefit by using literary devices found in both poetry and prose. A prose poem such as “dear white america” relies on the natural rhythm of spoken English. Its conversational tone draws the reader in. Because there are no visual indications in terms of the line break to suggest that it is a poem, it relies as well on other literary devices to indicate to the reader that it is in fact a poem, including “symbols, metaphors, and other figures of speech” (“Prose Poem.” Glossary of Poetic Terms. Poetry Foundation).
“dear white america” relies heavily on repetition, with one of the most notable examples being Smith’s listing of names in Lines 6 and 7 to emphasize police brutality specifically and anti-Black violence in general. The continued use of ampersands also helps create a sense of continuity, a feeling that is particularly important for a
By Danez Smith
alternate names for black boys
alternate names for black boys
Danez Smith
& even the black guy’s profile reads 'sorry, no black guys'
& even the black guy’s profile reads 'sorry, no black guys'
Danez Smith
It won’t be a bullet
It won’t be a bullet
Danez Smith
juxtaposing the black boy & the bullet
juxtaposing the black boy & the bullet
Danez Smith
Not an Elegy for Mike Brown
Not an Elegy for Mike Brown
Danez Smith
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