poem at thirty-nine

• Poem at 39


  Autobiographical poem by Alice Walker reflecting on her father when she was 39 years old
• Part three of the anthology exclusively features poems
• Poem at 39


  • Written in free verse
  • Celebrates the influence of the poet's father on her life
• Title "Poem at 39"


  Indicates the poem was likely written when Alice Walker was 39 years old
• Repetition of "How I miss my father"

  Emphasizes the speaker's intense grief at losing her father
• The speaker's father was tired when she was born, but still tried to be a good father
• Father's role


  • Taught the speaker about finances and handling money
  • Emphasized the importance of education and being honest
• As the speaker grew older

  Her views sometimes diverged from her father's, but he still respected her independence
• Simile "cooked like a person dancing"

  Describes the father's joyous and effortless way of cooking
• The speaker


  Now cooks, writes, and lives her life similarly to how her father did, showing his lasting influence
• The speaker is proud of the person she has become, thanks to her father's impact
• The poem reflects on the speaker's 39 years of life and how her father shaped her journey