The United States Welcomes You

At first glance, “The United States Welcomes You” appears to be a sonnet. It has some qualities of a sonnet: 14 lines with 10 syllables (or close to 10 syllables) apiece. The sonnet is a form first popularized by Francesco Petrarch during the Italian Renaissance. His sonnets are known for their unrequited (one-sided) love: His beloved, Laura, did not return his affections. Translations of Petrarch made the sonnet popular in England, where William Shakespeare famously used the poetic form, but altered it to fit his own needs. Shakespeare’s sonnets were about his love for a young man and a dark lady. However, sonnets have been used to talk about subjects other than romantic love. For instance, the sonnet “Saint Judas,” by James Wright, published in the 1950s, examines the Biblical figures Judas and Jesus.

Many African American poets assumed the traditionally white sonnet form. Some famous 20th century Black sonneteers include Claude McKay and Gwendolyn Brooks. Brooks, like Tracy K. Smith, breaks some of the sonnet rules, like abandoning strict rhyme schemes. Smith's contemporary Terrance Hayes’s American Sonnets for My Past and Future Assassin, was published in 2017.