Poetry Unbound Kay Ulanday Barrett — Pantoum for recital when my mom said, don’t let them see you cry
12 snips
Jun 12, 2023 AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Childhood Recital Memory
- Kay Ulanday Barrett shares a childhood recital memory where they were the only brown child dressed as a bumblebee.
- This moment captures feelings of isolation, performance, and resilience against bullying.
Power of the Pantoum Form
- The pantoum form repeats lines in a specific sequence, enriching meaning by placing them in new contexts.
- This repetition invites readers to reconsider memory and experience beyond a linear narrative.
Reclaiming Narrative Control
- The poem resists finishing on the note of being laughed at, circling back to the speaker's identity and strength.
- This cyclical structure offers agency and denies others the final word over the poet's story.