Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note
By Amiri Baraka
for Kellie Jones, born 16 May 1959
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 intoHer own clasped hands.
Summary of Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note
- Popularity of “Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note”: The poem ‘Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note’ is an interesting poem written by Amiri Baraka. He was an African American literary genius known for writing, dancing, editing, and playwriting. This poem serves as a tribute to Kelly Jones.. It first appeared in the month of March in 1957 and later got a place in the book, Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note. The poem stands out because the poet reflects on himself.
- “Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note” As a Representative of Self Reflection: Amiri starts the poem by giving credit to Kellie Jones. According to him, he has developed a habit of constantly finding himself back in the place where he originated from. However, every time he takes his dog out for a walk and is serenaded by the melodic wind as he sprints to catch the bus, he notices that everything remains unchanged. Even in counting the stars, it seems to him that the things come to naught. He observes that nobody is singing, almost as if they are completely absorbed in their own thoughts. After completing all his tasks, he finally heads towards his daughter’s room, where he discovers her secretly peering into something. When he eventually uncovers the truth, he observes her in a state of deep introspection, her face buried in her hands as she ponders deeply..
- Major Themes in “Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note”: Absurdity of life, the meaninglessness of the world, and self-reflection of the poet about the things around him are three major themes of the poem. The poet does everyday things in the first stanza, hoping to find meaning, but it’s all meaningless. He applies the same methodology to stars and arrives at the conclusion that the world lacks the capacity to appreciate the aesthetic value of art and music. Thus, he ultimately seeks solace in his daughter, only to realize that she, too, is engulfed in self-contemplation. This leads him to the conclusion that self-reflection or understanding one’s persona is the true endeavor of humanity.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used In Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note
literary devices contribute to introducing variety in simple poetic compositions. The use of appropriate language allows writers to impressively convey their thoughts. Amiri also used some literary devices in this poem, whose analysis is as follows..
- Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /i/ in “Or the broad edged silly music the wind” the sound of /a/ in “Things have come to that” and the sound of /o/ again in “Nobody sings anymore”.
- Alliteration: The poem shows the use of alliteration in the shape of initial consonant sounds of the neighboring words such as the sound of /h/ in “he holds” and “heard her” and the sound of /t/ “Talking to someone, and when I opened”.
- Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /n/ and /p/ in “The ground opens up and envelopes me” and the sound of /t/ in “And when they will not come to be counted”.
- Enjambment: It is defined as a thought in verse that does not come to an end at a line break; rather, it rolls over to the next line. For example;
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.
- Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. The poet used imagery in this poem such as “Makes when I run for a bus”, “The ground opens up and envelopes me” and “I count the holes they leave”.
- Personification: The poem shows the use of personifications of ground, music, and stars as if they have life and emotions of their own.
- Symbolism: Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic meanings that are different from literal meanings. The poem shows the use of symbols of stars, wind, and ground to show Amiri’s love for nature.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note
Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is the analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this poem.
- Diction and Tone: The poem shows the use of descriptive diction with a serious and quizzical tone.
- Free Verse: The poem has no fixed rhyme scheme. Therefore, it is a free verse poem.
- Stanza: A stanza is a poetic form of some lines. This poem shows three stanzas and three one-liners. Each stanza has a different number of verses.
Quotes to be Used
These lines from “Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note” are appropriate to quote when talking about the upbringing of children.
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 intoHer own clasped hands.