25 pages 50 minutes read

Margaret Walker

Love Song for Alex, 1979

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1989

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Discussion Starters

1. Some images in the poem are grounded in tangible reality while others approach otherworldliness. What are some examples of each? What emotional effect is probably intended by the poet on the reader through the use of these images?

2. Is the connotation of the poem as a whole largely positive, negative, neutral, or some mix? What individual words and phrases lead you to your conclusion?

3. In what ways is this poem best classified as a lyrical poem? What, if any, characteristics does it share with a narrative poem?