Good Bones

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 2016

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Summary

Background

Poem Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Form and Meter

Smith’s “Good Bones” is a free verse, non-rhyming poem. It lacks a metrical rhythm or pattern and is written in one 17-line stanza. Through literary devices such as repetition and anaphora, Smith creates a musical quality as well as a reiterative voice that returns to themes and symbols throughout. Written in the voice of a parent in the first person singular perspective, “Good Bones” repeats concepts (the briefness of life, the awful state of the world) only to arrive at a new, different concept to conclude the poem (beauty, hope, and possibility).

Written in a conversational tone, “Good Bones” relies on colloquial phrasing and simple language, which is accessible for a wide audience. Examples of this include the opening phrase “Life is short” (Line 1)—which borders on cliché—and the simple, straightforward example, “for every kind / stranger, there is one who would break you” (Lines 11-12). Devoid of figurative language, simile, and metaphor, “Good Bones” relies instead on clear, uncluttered phrasing to make an argument about the state of the world.

The poem engages a complex topic—the terrible nature of the world and releasing one’s children into it—and Smith chooses to use ordinary, everyday language. Pairing simple language with a complex idea allows the reader to focus on the philosophical argument behind the poem, rather than the language used to make the argument. Other examples of poets who use this type of direct writing are Stephen Dunn and Billy Collins.

Repetition

Repetition in “Good Bones” is a key literary device that adds structure and sonic qualities to the poem. Defined as repeated sounds, syllables, phrases, and words in poetry, repetition occurs within lines throughout a poem. For example, in “Good Bones” the phrase “Life is short” (Line 1) opens the poem and is repeated two more times (Lines 2, 10). This phrase acknowledges the briefness of life, the speed at which children grow, and how difficult it is to change the world in such a short amount of time. The poem repeats many words and phrases at the start of the poem: “delicious” (Line 3) is repeated in the following line as “deliciously” (Line 4), and “ill-advised ways” (Lines 3-4) is also repeated. Through the poem, Smith’s speaker leans on the phrase “I keep this from my children” (Lines 1, 5, 7, 13). Repeated all over, this phrase reiterates the speaker’s secrecy, how they hope to keep dangers from their children, and their wish to keep their children away from the terrible nature of the real world beyond the family home.

Other instances of repetition occur throughout the poem; for example, the following lines use instances of repetition within the sentence structure:

For every bird there is a stone thrown at a bird.

For every loved child, a child broken, bagged,

sunk in a lake (Lines 8-10).

Because the poem lacks metrical rhythm or rhyme scheme, Smith’s extensive use of repetition functions as a structural quality of its own, propelling the poem forward and creating sonic qualities. Repetition also reiterates ideas, which strengthens the speaker’s argument about the state of the world and what they wish for their children as they begin to grow.

Anaphora

Anaphora is a repeated word or phrase at the beginning of a sentence, clause, or line. Anaphora can be as short as a single word or as long as an entire phrase.

As a literary device, anaphora adds structure to an otherwise unstructured poem. In “Good Bones,” this occurs in Lines 1 and 2, when the speaker repeats “Life is short” (Lines 1-2) at the start of each line. The first use of “Life is short” is paired with the phrase “though I keep this from my children” (Line 1). However, in the second line, the speaker’s use of “Life is short” (Line 2) changes based on the line that follows (“and I’ve shortened mine / in a thousand delicious, ill-advised ways” [Lines 2-3]), indicating that the speaker has partaken in some of the terribleness of the world. The two lines, using repeated phrases, say very different things about the length of life and about the speaker.

Anaphora occurs throughout “Good Bones” with varying effects. For example, in Lines 8 and 9 the speaker opens each line with the phrase “For every.” Here, the speaker uses the repeated opening phrase to offer two examples of the ways in which the world can be either good or terrible (“For every bird, there is a stone thrown at a bird. / For every loved child, a child broken, bagged” [Lines 8-9]). This use of anaphora emphasizes the contradiction between the good and the terrible worlds the speaker illustrates. A useful poetic device, anaphora in “Good Bones” creates a recognizable pattern in the poem, lending it form.