Question

Analyze how the free-verse structure in the poem “Tattoo” by Gregg Shapiro reveals Shapiro’s message.

Answer 1

Answer:

First, the poem uses enjambment (where one line of poetry carries onto to the next) heavily. Enjambment is a powerful technique because it enables the poet to emphasize one part of a message before you read on and gain the full meaning. Giving part of a message also engages the reader’s curiosity as they wonder, “What’s next? What does this mean?” It also gives the reader time to let the message sink in because the end of a line naturally lends itself to a pause even if the main idea has not yet been completed.

For example, the first line of the poem, “My father won’t talk about the numbers,” emphasizes the element of mystery. The speaker wants to know a secret, but the father’s silence is an obstacle. It also hints that what bothers the speaker most is that the father won’t talk about it. The second line of the poem, “3-7-8-2-5 between the wrist and elbow,” is an enjambment that finishes the thought begun by the first line. This fills in some blanks for the reader by putting the poem into historical context: the Holocaust. Suddenly, these lines emphasize an important message: the numbers aren’t just numbers. They symbolize the father’s past.

The free-verse structure not only gives the poet the ability to emphasize certain aspects of a message, but it also gives the reader time to interpret a line in different ways. This structure enabled Shapiro to express the message of the poem on several levels: literal and symbolic.

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Answer 2

The free-verse structure is in line with the poem's message about the suffering of a human being that was deprived of freedom. It is as if the poet desperately (and in vain) tries to break all the cruel constraints that his father had suffered in the concentration camp. The verse is free, but the structure is still stanzaic - it is impossible to recover from the trauma, however hard one might try.

The free verse also brings a conversational tone to the poem, breaking it free of all artificial techniques, and giving the content primacy over the form (up to a point). The message is just too important.