dear white america

As a prose poem, “dear white america” doesn’t follow a traditional form or set rules of meter; it is instead formatted as prose would be. Prose poems are hybrids of poetry and prose, meaning that they can also benefit by using literary devices found in both poetry and prose. A prose poem such as “dear white america” relies on the natural rhythm of spoken English. Its conversational tone draws the reader in. Because there are no visual indications in terms of the line break to suggest that it is a poem, it relies as well on other literary devices to indicate to the reader that it is in fact a poem, including “symbols, metaphors, and other figures of speech” (“Prose Poem.” Glossary of Poetic Terms. Poetry Foundation).

“dear white america” relies heavily on repetition, with one of the most notable examples being Smith’s listing of names in Lines 6 and 7 to emphasize police brutality specifically and anti-Black violence in general. The continued use of ampersands also helps create a sense of continuity, a feeling that is particularly important for a