Hanging Fire - A poem by Audre Lorde

Audre Lorde - Hanging Fire

I am fourteen
and my skin has betrayed me
the boy I cannot live without 
still sucks his tumb 
in secret
how come my knees are 
always so ashy
what if I die
before the morning comes
and momma's in the bedroom
with the door closed.

I have to learn how to dance
in time for the next party 
my room is too small for me
suppose I de before graduation
they will sing sad melodies
but finally
tell the truth aout me
There is nothing I want to do 
and too much
that has to be done
and momma's in the bedroom
with the door closed.

Nobody even stops to think
about my side of it
I should have been on Math Team
my marks were better than his
why do I have to be
the one 
wearing braces
I have nothing to wear tomorrow
will I live long enough
to grow up
and momma's in the bedroom
with the door closed.

Added: on April 13th, 2008 at 7:41 PM | Viewed: 11836 times | Comments and analysis of Hanging Fire by Audre Lorde Comments (20)

Hanging Fire - Comments and Information
Poet: Audre Lorde Poem: Hanging Fire Comment 20 of 20, added on May 7th, 2008 at 10:32 PM. no joke i thought this poem was about conjoined twins and how one of them was struggling. im probably wrong though. derek Stephens from United States Comment 19 of 20, added on April 16th, 2008 at 12:24 PM. I think this poem is about a white angalo saxon male who is struggling with his tatoo dilema (mamma wont come out of her bedroom because she is addicted to online gambling) and has trouble dancing at school. Grant James from Azerbaijan Comment 18 of 20, added on April 13th, 2008 at 7:41 PM. I thought this poem explained a lot because it shows how this girl or narrator is suffering through so much, and her mom or whoever is a authority figure is not there to help them with it or explain things. As I was reading this poem it felt that everything was jumbled because of the lack of punctuation, but it also adds to the poem because it shows how jumbled the narrators life or mind is. Sheena from United States More Comments >> Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, Hanging Fire, has received 20 comments. Click here to read them, and perhaps post a comment of your own. Of course you can also always discuss poems by Audre Lorde with others on the American Poems poetry forum!

Poem Info
Poet: Audre Lorde Poem: Hanging Fire Last read: May 16 2008, 4:55PM Viewed 11836 times. Added on April 13th, 2008 at 7:41 PM.

Lorde Info
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