• Enjambment: This is when a line of poetry continues to the next line without a pause or break, creating a sense of continuity and flow. In “Hanging Fire,” Lorde uses enjambment throughout the poem to create a sense of urgency and momentum, as the speaker’s thoughts and emotions spill over from one line to the next.

• Repetition: This is when a word or phrase is repeated multiple times throughout a poem for emphasis or effect. In “Hanging Fire,” Lorde uses repetition to create a sense of anxiety and uncertainty, as the speaker repeats the refrain “I am fourteen” several times throughout the poem.

• Imagery: This is when a poem uses vivid and descriptive language to create a sensory experience for the reader. In “Hanging Fire,” Lorde uses imagery to create a sense of the speaker’s surroundings, as well as her emotional state. For example, she describes the smell of cooking food, the sound of the radio, and the sensation of lying on a bed.

• Personification: This is when a poem assigns human qualities or characteristics to non-human objects or ideas. In “Hanging Fire,” Lorde uses personification to create a sense of the speaker’s isolation and disconnection from the world around her. For example, she describes the clock on the wall as “lonely” and the walls of the room as “gray.”

• Allusion: This is when a poem references a well-known person, place, or event from history or literature. In “Hanging Fire,” Lorde alludes to the biblical figure of Job, who is known for his suffering and endurance. By invoking this allusion, Lorde suggests that the speaker’s struggles are part of a larger, universal experience of human suffering.

Hanging Fire Summary