Welcome back to A Poem a Day. We're taking a look at "Reckless Sonnet No. 7" by Kimiko Hahn.
Reckless Sonnet No. 7
By Kimiko Hahn
Maybe only your closest confidante
can know where you’ve landed. Maybe
your survival depends on laying low,
twisted up in several blankets in front of the TV
or else—what? The return call to your ex
looking for his distressed leather
or the deadline for indexing a book on jade antiques—
will consume you like a shadow opening its beak.
Maybe it’s necessary to blend into a corner of the
corner café
so you dress in a beige sweater and chinos. A hat.
Not dissimilar
from the cherry tree ugly-nest caterpillar
who chews up leaves then rolls in its own shit,
nestles with others in that same foliage.
For an inspired quiet.
A reflection/response to Kimiko Hahn's poem:
Kimiko Hahn’s “Reckless Sonnet No. 7” illustrates the journey of a speaker who explores the “dark side” of conformity and reflects on the malleable nature of identity. The poem’s speaker introduces a series of events and activities that are both mundane and unique; such variety illustrates the struggle between maintaining elements of “Self”––the “real” version of a person that stems from honest reflections––and aligning one’s values with a changing society. By defying conventional features of a sonnet, emphasizing repetition and incorporating a variety of punctuation, Hahn’s speaker highlights the influence of external factors on identity and the consequences of neglecting authenticity.
Hahn adopts an unconventional sonnet by inserting additional lines and combining multiple forms of meter, establishing a platform for the speaker to emphasize her internal conflict with identity. Though the majority of sonnets follow a set of rules that determines the poem’s characteristics, “Reckless Sonnet No. 7” deviates from the norm as the speaker introduces distinct elements to reveal her inner feelings. Instead of adhering to the 14-line structure, the poem consists of 16 lines: The addition of two lines hint at the speaker’s defiant behavior and unwillingness to conform to generally accepted standards. By rejecting the established criteria, the speaker also has the freedom to incorporate varying sentence lengths. Most notably, line 12 consists of merely two words––“Not dissimilar”––but serves as the poem’s volta that signifies the speaker’s ultimate realization about conformity (12). Thus, the peculiar form and the unique sentence structure allow the speaker to emphasize particular parts of the poem while conveying a rebellious tone as the speaker deliberately refuses to meet certain expectations. Moreover, the combination of different meters contributes to the speaker’s desire to balance and switch between two contrasting identities: that of an authentic figure with self-confidence and a powerless individual who seeks comfort in conformity. Though sonnets often use a meter of iambic pentameter, the speaker establishes a pattern that alternates between various verse forms. Line 1 maintains the structure of an iambic pentameter, but the following line no longer satisfies the five metrical feet requirement; the sequence continues as the speaker uses iambic pentameter in line 3 but shifts the number of syllables to 14 in line 4. The constantly changing meter in the poem and divergence from the standard iambic pentameter display the speaker’s will to strive for authenticity despite the challenge of settling on a single identity due to external forces such as social expectations. In this regard, the speaker addresses the importance of originality by adding unusual components that make the poem “reckless” but continues to adhere to certain conventions in fear of falling behind.
The extensive use of repetition further contributes to the discussion of identity, thereby allowing the speaker to highlight the dual importance of aligning oneself with social values and pursuing individualism. The speaker begins by commenting on the necessity of adapting to developments in society and notes that “survival depends on laying low” or sacrificing certain parts of one’s identity (3). By utilizing alliteration through the repeated /l/ sounds in “laying low,” the speaker underlines the art of masking identity and frames conformity as an effective tool for creating a sense of safety. Nonetheless, the italics in the phrase “laying low” supplies nuance as the speaker encourages the readers to consider the extent to which said safety provides an actual atmosphere of belonging. The speaker returns to the idea of social approval and expresses that “[blending] into a corner of the corner café” becomes essential for success (9-10). Through the repetition of the word “corner” and extended /c/ sound from “café,” the speaker understands that an individual must “blend” in for protection—at the expense of authenticity. Regardless of the means of adapting to society––whether that’s “[dressing] in a beige sweater and chinos [with a] hat” or changing personality traits to fit in––the speaker recognizes the value of prioritizing acceptance in society over opportunities to strive for freedom and individual growth (11). Nevertheless, the poem contains anaphora with the repetition of “Maybe”––the first word of the poem that creates ambiguity and uncertainty about a claim. The use of “Maybe” at the beginning of statements on “[blending] into a corner” or “laying low” indicates that the speaker understands the dangers of neglecting authenticity and attempts to dissect the duality of social identities. For instance, the first appearance of “Maybe” neutralizes the assertiveness in “only your closest confidante can know where you’ve landed”––a comment on the speaker’s lack of freedom to openly express her character––and adds a hesitant tone to illustrate the speaker’s indecisiveness when navigating identity (1). Hence, the absence of “Maybe” in the final four lines indicates that line 12 serves as the turning point of the poem: The speaker acknowledges the downsides of conformity but still exchanges authenticity for “inspired quiet” and temporary social acceptance (16). In essence, the repetition of letters and words unites the different fragments of the poem and displays the speaker’s inner feelings regarding the role society plays in shaping identity.
In hopes of solving internal contradictions and solidifying her stance on the shaping of identity, the speaker uses various punctuation to regain authority over the poem. Though the speaker initially fails to develop an organized outline of thoughts, the combination of enjambment and end-stopped lines allows the speaker to control the tempo and emphasize certain lines that contribute to the discussion of identity. After describing a series of activities that are deemed normal in life, the speaker introduces the task of “indexing a book on jade antiques”: a niche interest that differentiates an individual’s identity from others (7). Nonetheless, the speaker uses em dashes to expose the consequences of individualism as such unique pursuits “consume you like a shadow opening its beak” (8). Rather than providing a smooth transition between lines 7 and 8, the speaker’s use of dashes creates a moment for readers to assess the validity of maintaining a genuine identity when a “shadow”––in this case, society––will eventually force individuals to succumb to conformity. Furthermore, the consecutive end-stopped lines in line 14 and 15 slows down the pace of the poem as the speaker draws parallels between an indolent person “twisted up in several blankets” and an “ugly-nest caterpillar,” a type of insect that can only survive by feeding off the leaves of a shared host plant (4, 13). Despite having to “roll in its own shit,” the caterpillar “nestles with others” for survival, which symbolizes the importance of aligning with surrounding values and conforming to accepted standards of society (14, 15). Likewise, the figure lying “in front of the TV” prefers to follow social guidelines instead of courageously seeking change (4). Therefore, the period after “foliage” in line 14 strengthens the moment of reflection lines and further builds tensions before the speaker reveals her final decision to embrace the culture of conformity (14). By finding similarities in differences between the two subjects, the speaker briefly mentions the “dark side” of conformity but also illustrates the futile nature of acting with genuine purpose as meeting social expectations becomes an integral aspect of success.
American essayist and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” In Kimiko Hahn’s “Reckless Sonnet No. 7,” the speaker introduces an unconventional poem structure with unique elements, adds multiple punctuation forms, and effectively incorporates repetition to fuel the dialogue regarding the multifaceted nature of identity. Despite initial struggles to find a balance between authenticity and conformity, the speaker concludes that external factors such as social expectations extinguish opportunities for individualism but provide a temporary safety net for people to stop and revisit certain aspects of life before making the next move.
Works Cited:
Hahn, Kimiko. “Reckless Sonnet No. 7,” The Artist’s Daughter. W.W Norton & Company, 2002.
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