Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note by Amiri Baraka

PREFACE TO A TWENTY VOLUME SUICIDE NOTE

By: Amiri Baraka

Lately, I've become accustomed to the way
The ground opens up and envelopes me
Each time I go out to walk the dog.
Or the broad edged silly music the wind
Makes when I run for a bus...

Things have come to that.

And now, each night I count the stars.
And each night I get the same number.
And when they will not come to be counted,
I count the holes they leave.

Nobody sings anymore.

And then last night I tiptoed up
To my daughter's room and heard her
Talking to someone, and when I opened
The door, there was no one there...
Only she on her knees, peeking into

Her own clasped hands

Explorations of the Text

1.      What is the mood of the speaker in the opening lines? What images suggest his feelings?

The mood of the speaker in the opening lines is depression. He is suffering from depression and lack of spirit. From the first stanza, the line “Lately, I’ve become accustomed to the way”, and “Or the broad edged silly music the wind” show the speaker’s feeling of depression where he uses the nature element in a negative way. It shows that he is stressful by his life and surroundings.

2.      What is the significance of the daughter’s gesture of peeking into “her own clasped hands”?

The daughter’s gesture of peeking into “her own clasped hands” is signifying the childish act of the daughter or any children who peeks their clasped hands while pray for God. The pure of the children’s heart hoping for their prayers to be answered by God.

3.      What does the title mean? How does it explain the closing line?

The title “Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note” means that it was just an introduction for a very long suicide note where it supposed to be just a short one. The title explains that the speaker’s intention of suicide was drawn back by his awareness of his responsibilities as a father to his daughter as we can see from the last stanza where he visit his daughter’s room and saw his daughter was on her knees praying to God. The closing line shows that there is still a glimpse of light in the darkness (hope).

4.      Why does Baraka have three short lines, separated as stanzas? How do they convey the message of the poem?

Baraka separated the short lines as stanzas to point out the important message each stanzas have. He also tries to give a flow to his poem and to give a better understanding to the readers. With these stanzas, readers could follow the pace and received the message clearly.

5.      Why does Baraka begin stanzas with “Lately”, “And now” and “And then”? What do these transition words accomplish?

Baraka used the time transition words in the beginning of the stanzas to show the chronological order of events in his life. These transition words make the readers understand the reason he wanted to commit suicide, his feeling towards life and the incident that wake him up to the reality and responsibility which make him changed his intention.

6.      How does the speaker feel about his daughter? What does she represent to him?

The speaker feels responsible when he saw her daughter pray on that night. Her daughter needs someone to guide her to walk through this complicated life. She represents hope and love to the speaker which made him realize and wake up from his selfishness.



Source:-

http://michaelpotts.livejournal.com/5585.html