Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note

Amiri Baraka

‘Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note’ (1961) is the titular poem of Amiri Baraka’s first collection of poems. This piece introduces a depressed narrator engrossed with the thoughts of dying.

Amiri Baraka

Nationality: American

Amiri Baraka is remembered as a poet and music critic.

Notable works include 'History as Process' and 'Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note.' 

Key Poem Information

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Central Message: Dying and death can become an obsession for those who are suffering.

Themes: Death

Speaker: A narrator obsessed with dying.

Emotions Evoked: Depression, Sadness

Poetic Form: Free Verse

Time Period: 20th Century

This is a beautiful contemporary poem that provides readers with a unique take on what suicidal thoughts and feelings are like.

Amiri Baraka’s ‘Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note’ is about a speaker who is gradually getting immersed. Each day he finds new challenges that pose a threat to his life. These challenges are more internal than external. His mind makes him see the absence of hope. The final deterioration of his mental strength occurs when he finds his daughter does not need him anymore.

Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note by Amiri Baraka


Summary

‘Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note’ by Amiri Baraka describes a suicidal speaker’s mental state and the changes occurring in his life.

The speaker of this poem comes across a number of challenges in his day-to-day life. When he goes out to walk his dog, he feels like the ground beneath his feet is enveloping him. Even the wind mocks him when he runs to catch a bus. He usually counts the stars at night, and the gross total interestingly remains the same each day. If there is an absence, he starts counting the holes or gaps. On the final night, he found his daughter talking to herself. He felt so lonely that he probably took his life that night.

You can read the full poem here.

Detailed Analysis

Lines 1-6

Lately, I’ve become accustomed to the way

(…)

Things have come to that.

Amiri Baraka’s first collection of poetry, Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note, was published in 1961. The titular poem is dedicated to Baraka’s first daughter Kellie Jones. In this poem, Baraka introduces the main narrator, who seems to be undergoing a mental breakdown. In each section, Baraka depicts his gradual deterioration.

The first few lines show how nature mocks his very existence. Baraka’s persona is accustomed to the way he is treated. Lately, he realizes that the ground beneath is shifting away. The darkness envelops him whenever he goes out for a walk with his dog. This image precisely describes how one gets immersed in depressing thoughts.

In the next lines, the speaker describes how even the wind mocks him. It makes silly music when he runs to catch the bus. At last, he says in a dejected tone that recently, such things have been happening with him.

Lines 7-11

And now, each night I count the stars,

(…)

Nobody sings anymore.

The next section begins with the use of anaphora. Baraka repeats the conjunction “and” at the beginning of consecutive lines in order to put emphasis on the speaker’s mental state.

Nowadays, whenever he feels depressed, he counts the stars. Interestingly, each night he finds the same number. It is quite impossible to count the uncountable. Somehow he manages to do so or tries to reach something feasible. However, when there are no stars in the sky, he counts the “holes.” The reference to the “holes” (absence of light) can be interpreted as the gaps in his life.

In the previous section, he says that the wind composes music to mock his life. After a few days, even it stopped singing. The absence of lyricism makes him feel more depressed.

Lines 12-17

And then last night, I tiptoed up

(…)

Her own clasped hands.

The final lines of ‘Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note’ deal with how the speaker loses all hope. He remembers the night when he carefully entered his daughter’s room. There, he stood and heard her talking to someone. When he opened the door to find out with whom she was talking to he became shocked. No one was there except her daughter. She was on her knees and peeked into her clasped hands.

The scene made him feel extremely lonely. From this section, it can be assumed that his daughter used to talk with him before. But, she found someone else to talk with. Baraka concludes the poem on this note and keeps the room open for anticipation concerning the speaker’s future.

Structure

‘Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note’ is written in free-verse. It means there is no regular rhyme scheme or meter in the poem. The text consists of a total of three stanzas. Each stanza ends with a coda. The first and third stanzas contain five lines. In comparison, the second one has four lines. Apart from that, this piece is told from the perspective of a first-person speaker. This speaker is undergoing a mental breakdown.

Literary Devices

Baraka makes use of the following literary devices in ‘Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note’.

  • Enjambment: Baraka uses this device throughout the text. For example, it occurs in the first three lines.
  • Personification: In the first stanza, the inanimate ideas “ground” and “wind” are personified. He invests the “ground” with the idea of engulfing him and the “wind” with the ability to compose music.
  • Anaphora: It occurs in the first three lines of the second stanza. Baraka repeats the term “And” at the beginning of these lines for the sake of emphasis.
  • Repetition: There is a repetition of the term “night” in the second stanza. Baraka repeats the term in the third stanza.


FAQs

What is ‘Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note’ about?

Amiri Baraka’s poem ‘Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note’ is about a speaker who struggles to carry on living. Through this piece, Baraka depicts his gradual mental breakdown, leading him to kill himself.

When was ‘Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note’ published?

This poem was published in 1961. It appears in Amiri Baraka’s one of the best-known collections, Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note.

What type of poem is ‘Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note’?

It is a free-verse lyric poem that is written from the perspective of a first-person speaker. The text does not have a regular rhyme scheme or metrical pattern. Besides, readers can find a number of confessional features in this poem.

What is the theme of ‘Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note’?

This piece taps on a number of themes that include depression, hopelessness, loneliness, and struggle. The main idea of the poem concerns the thoughts of a suicidal speaker.


Similar Poems

The following list contains a few poems that similarly evoke themes present in Amiri Baraka’s poem ‘Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note’.

You can also read about these heartfelt poems about depression.

Poetry+ Review Corner

Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note

Enhance your understanding of the poem's key elements with our exclusive review and critical analysis. Join Poetry+ to unlock this valuable content.
Poet:
Amiri Baraka (poems)
95
Period:
Nationality:
Theme:
Emotions:
Form:

Amiri Baraka

95
This is one of Baraka's best-known poems. It's quite short and relatively easy to read, meaning that its powerful images are capable of reaching a wide audience. The poet may not be as well-known as some of their contemporaries, but this poem proves that the poet's work is certainly worth reading.
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20th Century

20
The poem touches on many themes prevalent in American poetry during the 20th century, such as the struggle with loss, sadness, and loneliness.
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American

10
This is not a very well-known American poem and does, therefore, not rank highly among the most influential poems written throughout American literary history.
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Death

40
Death is hinted at in the metaphor of stars leaving holes, and the final image of the daughter on her knees suggests a desire for comfort and protection from life's difficulties.
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Depression

55
The poem relates to depression through the use of imagery and language that suggests a sense of sadness and hopelessness. The speaker describes becoming accustomed to the way the ground "opens up and envelopes" them.
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Sadness

30
This is a deeply sad poem that can be interpreted in a few different ways. But, the poet's imagery ensures that readers walk away feeling something of the speaker's sadness.
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Adversity

35
This poem relates to adversity in several ways. The speaker seems to be facing challenging circumstances, which is reflected in their focus on the small and seemingly insignificant details of their surroundings.
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Daughters

20
In the poem, the speaker mentions tiptoeing up to their daughter's room, finding her on her knees, and peeking into her clasped hands. This brief moment alludes to the speaker's relationship with their daughter and their relationship.
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Life Struggles

25
Overall, the poem portrays the struggles of life, the adversity of mental illness, and the feelings of sadness and loneliness that can accompany it. There are many struggles one comes up against in their life, and this poem tries to tap into that fact.
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Loneliness

25
The mention of counting stars and holes left by missing ones emphasizes a feeling of loneliness and loss. The poem also touches upon the speaker's relationship with their daughter, with the final lines revealing a sense of confusion and perhaps even paranoia.
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Loss

40
This poem relates to loss in a few different ways. The speaker seems to be struggling with a sense of loss or absence in their life. For example, the line "nobody sings anymore" suggests a loss of joy or music in the speaker's life.
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Suicide

90
The poem does not explicitly mention suicide (except in the title), but it may imply the speaker's contemplation of it through their preoccupation with counting the stars and holes they leave. The poem is incredibly powerful, even though it's quite short. Many readers will find a great deal to relate to within its lines.
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Free Verse

20
This poem uses free verse form, popularized in the early 1900s and became a defining characteristic of modern and postmodern poetry. It's used in many of the poet's pieces of writing.
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Sudip Das Gupta Poetry Expert
About
A complete expert on poetry, Sudip graduated with a first-class B.A. Honors Degree in English Literature. He has a passion for analyzing poetic works with a particular emphasis on literary devices and scansion.

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