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Access Type

Open Access

Document Type

thesis

Degree Program

English

Degree Type

Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.)

Year Degree Awarded

2010

Month Degree Awarded

February

Keywords

monteiro, poetry, woman of color, contemporary poetry, hip hop culture, post modern

Abstract

erica monteiro’s collection, (evol)ution is love spelled backwards, is book of poetry created to give readers a glimpse into the personal politics of a woman of color coming into her own. The selected pieces are written as a journey through the writer’s heart. monteiro creates a mosaic through lyrical prose that is both tangible and illusive. Some of her pieces speak to current contemporary issues as in the poem “goodnight obama”, and others deal strictly with matters of love, as in “the last hurrah”. Each poem is flavored by its own unique brand of language reminiscent of twentieth century urban lyricism. monteiro’s “text speak” and new derivations on old words allow her to style shift between poetic lines, making for a creative blend of both academic and pedestrian imagery and symbolism. (evol)ution is love spelled backwards, is a mix of monteiro’s different voices, balanced to give her readers a unique perspective of her verses.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.7275/1100715

First Advisor

Dara Wier

COinS