~ 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

____________________________________________________

 Exploration 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. We can see the images of  of his feelings towards the words  "Lately,” “way”, “opens,” “envelopes,” “go,” “wind,” “run".


2. What is the significance of the daughter's gesture of peeking into " her own clasped hands"?

* It is significance to the praying gesture. This is means that the daughter is praying to God ,hoping that her father will never leave her alone.


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

* The title mean the persona is going to kill himself but not soon. And we can see the reason in the final two stanza which are  "he tiptoes upstairs, hearing his daughter talking. “…and when I opened / The door, there was no one there…” These stanza give us the message that the persona canceled his attention to commit suicide after he saw his daughter.


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

* These three short lines means it is the conclusion for each stanza and what had happened. The message of the poem can be seen for example in line " Things have come to that" which it tells us that the poet have decides what he has to do.


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

* This because he wants us to look the poem in chronological order which every event took place. These transition had succeed to make me understand the poem in orderly.


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

* The speaker feel very responsible towards his daughter which she is the main reason why he canceled his intention to commit suicide. She represent the responsible that he has to keep on. Besides,for him to keep living despite the drudgery of other parts of his life. She is the one who loves him and whom he loves , means they need each other to survive.