Hanging Fire By Audre Lorde Summary

Hanging Fire is a poem by Audre Lorde. In this poem, the main character, Audre, wishes for death, for she seems done with the situation that she is stuck in. Also, she express that momma is in the bedroom with the door shut as if closing herself out from the outside world. All in all, the general meaning is that, she wants to die. Audre Lorde is the speaker in her poem and goes back to when she was fourteen. At this age, she does not want to live and ponders death as the next step. This event takes place in her home, with momma in the bedroom with the door closed, and Audre is in her own bedroom. It is known that Audre is in her room because when she writes about having to learn how to dance, she also states that there is not enough space in her room. The tone of Hanging Fire is not a joyous one, but rather is very sad and depressing. For example, she states, “What if I die/ before morning”. Another sample being, “Nobody even stops to think/ about my side of

After each stanza if a shift to a new idea or reason for death that ties back to the theme of depression and momma locking herself out. The effect this gives, is that there are more reasons as to why Audre is thinking about death so much throughout the poem. This is as if she is backing up her reasoning of why she is thinking what she is thinking. All in all, in Hanging Fire, Audre Lorde is hurt, depressed, and wishes to die. She allows herself this thinking pattern because of all the examples she gives the reader as well as momma being in the bedroom with the door closed. Towards the end of the poem, she even second guesses about living long enough to grow up. “Will I live long enough/ to grow up”. Be incorpuratingthis in her work, she is clearly stating that she does not know if she will live to be an adult, if even her current situation. All she is, is sad, and wants a way out of her current