Analysis of I Can't Breathe
Creator my dear,
I am that tiny little fish;
Made by your finger
And approved by your nodding smile.
Thanks for the deep blue home;
And the air, fresh and clean.
The lilies and the colourful painting of the river bed
That delights my sight and mind.
I am that tiny little fish
Born of a mama,
Singing of my hopes; believing in my dreams.
But,
Lord,
You know Man,
A Selfish Domineering Bully.
He's halted my dreams and dashed my hopes.
He's chased me
And far from home I roam.
You know Man;
A S2elfish Domineering Bully.
Lord, see Him; His mighty vessels and tanks with Him
Spilling canopies of toxic liquor over my world.
This isn't warring...
This is killing.
I am only a tiny little fish;
Peaceful and defenseless.
Dear God, as I make this prayer,
I can't breathe!
| Scheme | xAxxbxxx Axx xxCdxdb Cdxxeeax xx |
|---|---|
| Poetic Form | |
| Metre | 01011 11110101 11110 00111101 110111 001101 0100011010101 1011101 11110101 11010 10111010011 1 1 111 01001010 110110111 111 011111 111 011001010 111110100111 101110101011 11010 1110 1110010101 100010 1111111 111 |
| Closest metre | Iambic trimeter |
| Characters | 770 |
| Words | 168 |
| Sentences | 13 |
| Stanzas | 5 |
| Stanza Lengths | 8, 3, 7, 8, 2 |
| Lines Amount | 28 |
| Letters per line (avg) | 21 |
| Words per line (avg) | 5 |
| Letters per stanza (avg) | 118 |
| Words per stanza (avg) | 28 |
About this poem
'I Can't Breathe', particularly, seeks to raise an alarm against the terrible pollution on the water caused by activities of multi-national oil companies in the oil rich Niger-Delta region of Nigeria, West Africa and in general, the destruction of nature by man's activities. The poem is a prayer made by a tiny little fish to God; crying about the destruction of its habitat by man's activities. The poem's title is an allusion to George Floyd's last statement which sparked global action against racism. Thus, in like manner, the poem calls for a global activism for these defenseless creatures who are grossly affected by man's unfriendliness to nature. more »
Written on November 27, 2021
Submitted by Sir_D on May 03, 2022
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 51 sec read
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"I Can't Breathe" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 17 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/129218/i-can%27t-breathe>.
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