Part 1: Scansion and Analysis.
“Describe Yourself in Three Words or Less” by Rita Dove has three stanzas as opposed to the idea communicated by the title of expressing oneself in three words. The stanzas are almost equal in length with the last two having seven lines each. All the three stanzas are indented and have occasional line breaks that separate the various ideas and thoughts presented in the poem. The rhyme scheme of the poem is irregular. End-pause, end-stop, and enjambment have been used to break the lines in addition to forming the shape of the poem. Notably, the considerable space between the three stanzas allows the audience to pause and organize the central ideas presented in each stanza. Additionally, the author uses different breaks and punctuations to accentuate thematic issues. In the poem, Rita Dove uses grammatically correct syntax, but a lot of enjambment is evident, for example in the line, “You are mine, I say to the twice-dunked cruller / before I eat it. Then I sing.” (16-19) Throughout the poem, the author does not follow English conventions to illustrate her defiant attitude towards conforming to expectations. She uses italicization to stress on the main ideas. For example, “You are mine” has been italicized to stress the concept of possession (16).
The poem is non-metrical with free verse line structure. The number of feet per line is not consistent, and the punctuation is not conventional and is excessive and has a total of six hyphens throughout the poem. The persona in the poem seems to be struggling with stereotypes, and the hyphens indicate brokenness. The poem progresses the main idea of defiance from the first stanza to the last, and on the page, it looks impressive and is short enough to encourage the reader to read through it. As a special type of poem, it is dramatic for the writer seems to introduce the concept of breaking the rules and going beyond the typical personality characteristics.
Part 2: Explication.
The main idea contained in the poem is that of self-contentment. The speaker refuses to join the stereotype, and she is exploring other options for being herself. She does not like people judging her for her actions and instead seeks to prove that she is a free being, capable of redefining her path of life and destiny. Though personal description using words like wrong-headed, pug-willed, itchy, wild, and thatched soul, the speaker demonstrates the difficulty of placing her under any particular specification. Therefore, the different adjectives used to describe her personality are conflicting, representing her as a unique human.
Rebellion is the central theme of the poem as the speaker demonstrates her unique nature. She communicates the message of self-acceptance and advocates for a social revolution. The line “I’m not the kind of person who praises openly, or for profit; I’m not the kind who will steal a scene unless I’ve designed it” indicates that the persona in the poem is unwilling to be categorized and refuses to be stereotyped in any way (1-4). Remarkably, she uses different ways to describe herself and compares her thoughts with boats on a sea that sails without limits.
Rita Dove uses symbols, metaphoric language, characterization, personification and similes as part of her poetic devices and figurative language. A bird is personified as a character with the ability to listen to music. The line “I say to the twice-dunked cruller before I eat it.” (16-17) Symbolizes the loneliness suffered by the author in the journey of breaking stereotypes. The will of the author is likened to that of a pug dog illustrating that it cannot be broken. She is motivated to express her feelings to the world using special words that make it difficult to describe her nature. “Manicured spider” and “bright beaked bird” are some of the connotations used in the poem to demonstrate the author’s different point of view (18-19). The persona in the poem is a young woman particularly from the minority race who expresses her thought and feelings. Besides, the speaker does not address a particular person, and she is trying to make an argument that people need to stop embracing the various stereotypes that exist within their environments. The poem expresses the idea of self-love and does not require an answer to the controversial issues.
The principal aim of the author is to pass the message of empowerment. People should be allowed to embrace new ways of life and refuse to succumb to stereotypes. She denies any form of categorization as she feels she is unique and different and no one has the authority to dictate her disposition. She is the “kind” of a person who cannot be defined by anything or anyone. She expresses some sense of human connection by expressing sexuality as a crucial part of her personality. The line “then I will stop, and forget the singing. / (See? I have already forgotten you.” illustrates that the speaker has hope for change and the reader will embrace diversity (21-22).
Works cited
Dove, Rita. "Describe Yourself in Three Words or Less". 2012, http://malapropsbookstore.tumblr.com/post/82709911136/describe-yourself-in-three-words-or-less-by-rita. Accessed 15 Sept 2018.
