Structure. Jimmy Santiago Baca's "I Am Offering This Poem" is a thirty-line poem divided into stanzas. These stanzas vary in length from five to nine lines, with each separated by the three-word phrase "I adore you." Within each stanza, the order of words remains the same: first, the speaker describes what he is offering ("a poem"); then, he explains why it is being offered ("I adore you"); and finally, he reveals its purpose ("in memory of Maria Rosa").
This poem is composed of 30 lines divided into 3 sections of 10 lines each. Each section is labeled with a number (from 1 to 30) and lettered sections are named after the people mentioned in the poem: A for Ana, B for Ben, C for Carlos, D for Diego, E for Eduardo, F for Fernando, G for Gerardo, H for Hernando, I for Isidro, J for Jose, K for Karina, L for Laura, M for Mariano, N for Natalia, O for Olga, P for Patricia, Q for Quintero, R for Rosa, S for Sara, T for Teresa, U for Ulises, V for Valentino, W for Walter, X for Xavier, Y for Yuri.
In "I Am Offering This Poem," Baca employs a number of literary tropes. Simile, metaphor, alliteration, repetition, and enjambment are some examples. Baca compares the poetry he is composing to a scarf, a lodge, a present, and a warm garment in the poem. These comparisons enhance the image of giving when describing how the poet will offer his work.
Baca also uses typology as a tool for understanding human nature. Typology is the classification of individuals or things that share a common feature or character. In this case, Baca uses typology to explain that we can learn about someone's true self by looking at what they choose to show the world.
Last, but not least, Baca employs irony as a tool for criticizing society. Irony involves using words or actions to suggest one thing while meaning something different. In this case, Baca uses irony to criticize those who hold rigid opinions about what constitutes good poetry. He shows that no two people will ever see life exactly the same way, which means that any opinion on poetry should be treated with caution.
Thus, Baca uses many literary tools to express his ideas about poetry and humanity.
The poem "I Am Offering This Poem" is a free verse ode. It's a poetry composed for a beloved whom the speaker admires, and it celebrates itself. Not only does the speaker like his sweetheart, but he also adores his own poem—or, at the very least, poetry in general. Free verse odes are popular in English literature, especially among poets.
Offering poems as a love gift is a common practice in Asia, particularly in India. An offerer would compose a poem on a favorite topic or on the occasion being celebrated. The poem would be delivered by hand to the recipient with gifts such as flowers, candy, or jewelry. In return, the recipient would deliver an equivalent poem back to the sender. These poems are often humorous or sentimental and usually contain some sort of implicit promise that the two parties will meet up later in life (such as when the son of a bridegroom meets his new wife when she comes of age).
In Europe, offerings were originally used in religious contexts. Over time, they became associated with love and was eventually adopted by people in Asia who had imported the idea from Europe. Today, offerings are still given as love gifts in many parts of Asia, particularly India.
An offering poem can be anything from a few lines to a whole book. It can be as short as a haiku or as long as a sonnet.
"I Am Offering This Poem," his poem, is about how and why poetry is so vital. The speaker of this poem, which was published in 1990, delivers his poetry as a gift to his sweetheart. This speaker is poor: he lacks money, but he has some nice, soft, comforting remarks to present to his sweetheart in his place.
The speaker begins by saying that he is poor but that isn't going to stop him from giving her something very special, something that no one else can give her. Then he tells us what that "something" is: it's poetry. Finally, he closes the poem by telling her that she should keep this poetry thing close to her heart because he knows that she will need it someday.
This short poem is very beautiful. It reminds us that even though we may not have much, we shouldn't feel poor because many people in many countries would love to have what we have. And since poetry is worth more than gold, we should keep writing it too!
The first line of this poem urges readers to conceive of it in terms of romantic desire, hence love plays a significant role in it. In the poem, the lover promises his love how they may live a lovely and idyllic life in the countryside. "Come live with me and be my love, and we shall enjoy all of life's delights."
He also asks her to marry him which means she will become his wife and he will have a partner to share his life with.
At the end of the poem, he tells her that she is loved even though they are separated by time and distance because God loves her and so does he.