Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"At the Conference on Women in the Academy" is a poem by Jean Valentine, an American poet born in 1934 who is known for her exploration of themes such as love, death, and spirituality. The poem was composed in 1983.

Explanation:

"At the Conference on Women in the Academy" is a poem that addresses the challenges faced by women in academic spaces. The speaker reflects on the pressures to conform to masculine models of success and achievement, and the way in which these pressures can stifle women's creativity and sense of self. 

Poetic Elements:

• Form: Free verse
• Theme: Women in academia, creativity, and self-expression
• Imagery: Academia, conformity, and self-doubt
• Tone: Reflective, contemplative
• Sound: Repetition of phrases ("What do they want"), alliteration ("women who wait"), and consonance ("I'm feeling in corners")
• Language: Simple and direct, with occasional use of elevated vocabulary
• Figurative language: Metaphor ("my life a woman in armor"), simile ("like snakes in the grass"), and personification ("the college is watching")
• Structure: The poem is composed of four stanzas with varying line lengths. It is written in free verse, which allows the speaker to move between different observations and emotions without being constrained by a strict form.
• Symbolism: The armor in the poem is a symbol of the way in which women in academia must armor themselves against the pressures to conform to masculine models of success. The snakes in the grass are a symbol of the hidden obstacles and challenges that women face.
• Emotion: The poem evokes a sense of frustration, self-doubt, and isolation in the face of the pressures and challenges faced by women in academia.

Conclusion:

"At the Conference on Women in the Academy" is a powerful and thought-provoking poem that speaks to the challenges faced by women in academic spaces. Through its use of vivid imagery, metaphor, and symbolism, the poem encourages readers to contemplate the importance of creativity, self-expression, and resistance in the face of oppressive systems.

Poem Snippet:

"What do they want, all these women who wait?

I'm feeling in corners, I'm feeling

in corners, I'm feeling in corners,

my life a woman in armor."