Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- Why do you think the poem is called "Hanging Fire"?
- What's the effect of all of the repetition in the poem? Why does Lorde keep repeating the phrase "and momma's in the bedroom / with the door closed"?
- Do you think that the speaker of the poem is just your average teenager who has the occasional dark thought? Or do you think she has some serious problems?
- To whom do you think that the speaker is addressing the poem? Do you feel like she's talking to a big audience? To a friend? To herself? Why do you think so?
- Do you think that Audre Lorde does a good job speaking in the voice of a 14-year-old girl? Does the poem sound like it's actually spoken by a teenager? If so, which parts are especially teenager-y to you?