I liked the theme of the poem Isabel read in class last Friday. The poem "Four Women" was visibly simple, but also had multiple analytic meanings. I think it would be fun to write a couple more stanzas for the poem. Here's my shot:
My skin is white
my hair is straight
My manner sassy
and my ride's not late
My parents have money
why, isn't that funny!
And what do I call me?
My name is Amanda Jones
My name is Amanda Emilia Jones
My skin is mixed
my hair is rough
I work at McDonald's
cooking your stuff
My mother was an immigrant
Arizona thinks we're illegitimate
And what do they call me?
My name is Maria
My name is Maria
My skin is olive
my hair in a bun
I'll work in a sweatshop
until the day's past done
Life in America had promise
if only they weren't dishonest
What do they call me?
My name is Ita
My name is Ita
I initially started by just reading your poem, assuming it was autobiographical. I soon realized that wasn't the case. Anyway, I think you've written a good continuation, taking that format and transposing it to what feels like a more contemporary setting. I think you address some important issues in the second and third stanzas, but I think the way you played with the format in stanza one is particularly interesting. Not only did you give her a full name (which gained a middle component between the second and third stanzas), but the line "And what do I call me?" really stands out. I get the feeling that because she's in more privileged circumstances, Amanda kind of decides her own identity while the other two feel defined by their situations. Very well-written poem.
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