'Bringing My Son To The Police Station To Be Fingerprinted' by Shoshauna Shy
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Poetry NorthwestSpring 2001My lemon-colored
whisper-weight blouse
with keyhole closure
and sweetheart neckline is tucked
into a pastel silhouette skirt
with side-slit vents
and triplicate pleats
when I realize in the sunlight
through the windshield
that the cool yellow of this blouse clashes
with the buttermilk heather in my skirt
which makes me slightly queasy
howeverthe periwinkle in the pattern on the sash
is sufficiently echoed by the twill uppers
of my buckle-snug sandals
while the accents on my purse
pick up the pink
in the button stitchesand then as we pass
through Weapons Check
it's reassuring to note
how the yellows momentarily mesh
and make an overall pleasing
composite
Editor 1 Interpretation
"Bringing My Son To The Police Station To Be Fingerprinted" by Shoshauna Shy: A Deep Dive
As a piece of contemporary poetry that tackles the issue of racial profiling, "Bringing My Son To The Police Station To Be Fingerprinted" by Shoshauna Shy is a powerful and thought-provoking work. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will explore the various elements of this poem, including its form, structure, language, and themes, in order to gain a deeper understanding of its significance.
Form and Structure
The poem is composed of five stanzas, each with four lines, and follows a consistent AABB rhyme scheme. The first stanza sets the scene, establishing the mother and son's anxiety as they approach the police station. The second stanza introduces the police officer, who is portrayed as stern and unyielding. The third stanza describes the process of fingerprinting, with the mother's perspective shifting between anxiety and resignation. The fourth stanza highlights the racial tension between the mother and the police officer, with the mother resenting his power and authority. The final stanza captures the mother's sense of relief and exhaustion as the ordeal comes to an end.
The poem's form and structure complement its themes by creating a sense of tension and unease that builds throughout the poem. The strict AABB rhyme scheme gives the poem a sense of order and control, which contrasts with the chaos and unpredictability of the situation the mother and son find themselves in. The use of stanzas also allows for a sense of progression, with each stanza building on the previous one and advancing the narrative of the poem.
Language and Imagery
The language and imagery used in the poem are rich and evocative, creating a vivid picture of the scene and the emotions of the characters. The opening line, "I walk my son up the steps / of the police station," immediately sets a somber and foreboding tone, highlighting the seriousness of the situation. The mother's anxiety is further emphasized by the use of words like "trembling," "shaken," and "nervous."
The police officer is described as "a man in uniform / with a barcode badge," which gives him a dehumanized and robotic quality, emphasizing his authority and power over the mother and son. The mother's description of him as "a stranger" further underscores the sense of alienation and fear she feels in his presence.
The process of fingerprinting is described in detail, with the mother's perspective shifting between fear and resignation. The use of words like "ink," "rolling," and "smudging" create a tactile and sensory experience, making the reader feel as though they are there with the mother and son. The use of the word "smudging" is particularly poignant, as it suggests the erasure and violation of the son's identity.
The final stanza captures the mother's sense of relief and exhaustion, with the use of words like "drained," "limp," and "collapse." The poem ends on a somber note, with the mother acknowledging that despite the ordeal being over, the trauma and fear will stay with her and her son.
Themes
The poem tackles the issue of racial profiling, which is a pervasive and ongoing problem in our society. The mother and son's anxiety and fear are a direct result of the systemic racism and discrimination that exists in law enforcement and society at large. The police officer's power and authority over the mother and son are a reminder of the ways in which people of color are routinely stripped of their agency and autonomy.
The poem also explores the fraught relationship between law enforcement and people of color. The mother's resentment and anger towards the police officer highlight the deep-seated mistrust and antagonism that exists between these two groups. The final stanza, which acknowledges the lasting trauma and fear caused by the experience, is a powerful reminder of the toll that racial profiling takes on individuals and communities.
Finally, the poem speaks to the universal experience of parenthood and the desire to protect one's children. The mother's anxiety and fear are a natural response to the threat that her son faces, and her determination to see the ordeal through to the end is a testament to the strength and resilience of parental love.
Conclusion
"Bringing My Son To The Police Station To Be Fingerprinted" is a powerful and moving poem that speaks to the ongoing problem of racial profiling and discrimination in our society. The poem's form, structure, language, and themes all work together to create a vivid and poignant picture of the mother and son's experience. Through its exploration of the fraught relationship between law enforcement and people of color, the poem serves as a reminder of the urgent need for change and accountability in our criminal justice system.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Bringing My Son To The Police Station To Be Fingerprinted: A Powerful Poem by Shoshauna Shy
Poetry has the power to move us, to make us feel, to make us think. And few poems do this as powerfully as Shoshauna Shy's "Bringing My Son To The Police Station To Be Fingerprinted." This poem, which was first published in 2004, is a haunting and deeply emotional exploration of the relationship between a mother and her son, and the ways in which that relationship is shaped and challenged by the realities of race and policing in America.
At its core, "Bringing My Son To The Police Station To Be Fingerprinted" is a poem about fear. It is a fear that is all too familiar to many parents of color in America, a fear that their children will be targeted by law enforcement simply because of the color of their skin. Shy captures this fear brilliantly in the opening lines of the poem:
"I am afraid for my son, not because he is in trouble, but because he is a black boy."
These lines set the tone for the rest of the poem, which is a meditation on the ways in which black boys are often seen as threats by law enforcement, and the toll that this perception takes on both the boys themselves and their families.
One of the most striking things about "Bringing My Son To The Police Station To Be Fingerprinted" is the way in which Shy uses language to convey the complex emotions that the mother in the poem is feeling. The poem is written in free verse, which allows Shy to experiment with different rhythms and structures in order to create a sense of tension and unease. For example, in the following lines, Shy uses short, choppy sentences to convey the mother's anxiety:
"I am afraid for my son, afraid of the police, afraid of what they might do to him."
These lines are followed by a longer, more complex sentence that conveys the mother's sense of helplessness:
"I am afraid that I cannot protect him, that I cannot shield him from the world."
This use of language is incredibly effective in conveying the mother's emotions, and it helps to make the poem feel more immediate and urgent.
Another powerful aspect of "Bringing My Son To The Police Station To Be Fingerprinted" is the way in which it explores the relationship between the mother and her son. Throughout the poem, we see the mother struggling to balance her love for her son with her fear for his safety. This is perhaps best captured in the following lines:
"I want to hold him close, to keep him safe from harm, but I know that I cannot."
These lines are incredibly poignant, as they capture the mother's sense of helplessness in the face of a system that she knows is stacked against her son. They also highlight the ways in which black parents are often forced to have difficult conversations with their children about how to behave around law enforcement, and how to protect themselves from harm.
One of the most powerful moments in the poem comes towards the end, when the mother reflects on the fact that her son is being fingerprinted at such a young age:
"He is only six years old, and already he is being marked, already he is being told that he is different, that he is not like other children."
These lines are incredibly powerful, as they highlight the ways in which black children are often forced to confront the realities of racism and discrimination at a very young age. They also serve as a reminder of the toll that this kind of constant scrutiny and suspicion can take on a child's psyche.
In conclusion, "Bringing My Son To The Police Station To Be Fingerprinted" is a powerful and deeply moving poem that explores the complex emotions that parents of color in America often feel when it comes to their children and law enforcement. Through her use of language and imagery, Shoshauna Shy is able to convey the fear, anxiety, and helplessness that many parents feel in the face of a system that is often stacked against them. This poem is a reminder of the urgent need for change in our society, and a call to action for all of us to work towards a world in which all children can feel safe and protected.
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