Nineteen

The Venus Hottentot (1990), which includes “Nineteen,” is Elizabeth Alexander’s first book of poems. The collection was received favorably, with Doris Jean Austin noting in her New York Times review that “the current proliferation of benign, yet soothing works of poetry gives ‘The Venus Hottentot’ a particularly exhilarating quality” (Austin, Doris Jean. “Interview.” New York Times). The poems in The Venus Hottentot are distinguished by their sharp, succinct use of language and Alexander’s bold exploration of themes like racial violence, Black identity, and sexual awakening. Black identity is a theme in “Nineteen” as well, with the poet alluding to the speaker feeling out of sorts with the world represented by white food in the poem. Like “Nineteen,” most of the poems of the collection follow a regular stanzaic structure. However, the poems experiment with points of view, enjambment, and the spacing between words in lines. What is the most revolutionary aspect of Alexander’s writing in the collection is her combination of a Postmodernist style of writing, dark humor, and the use of dramatized persona to explore the experience of Black Americans. In “Nineteen,” this persona is the speaker, a woman reflecting on her younger self.