Dean Young. True/False

This poem has a very interesting structure. The title of the poem is True/False and, following from that, the poem is set up sort-of like an exam. Each of the one hundred lines are numbered, unlike any exam however there is no room for answers. The number in each line is followed by a statement or a phrase. Some lines are lines one would likely find on a job application: “I am good at following order.” Others are simple statements: “I use a number-two pencil.” Many of them are much more interesting, though. Lines like, “I am a Murder,” “The homeless are dangerous,” “Here’s 50 cents” or “I never had sex with an animal” raise interest in the poem and many questions about the poets thoughts at the time of writing it. The most interesting thing I found while reading it is how the poem seems to be asking the reader to answer the questions, true or false, and at the same time the reader must question what the poet’s answer to each line would be. The poem works very well because many of the lines seem to be letting the reader in on small beliefs which the poet may harbor yet is afraid to answer True too. Also they can call into question many beliefs that the reader of the poem may have. The poem flows nice as well. The lines vary in length from a single word to a short paragraph, but many lines are kept fairly short. This provides clever lines that are straight and to the point. This poem is a very interesting way for a poet to call to attention social woes and things weighing on his mind.

wes edmond.