Sign-Inventory 1, Week 10

Heather McHugh

Language Lesson 1976

When Americans say a man
takes liberties, they mean

he’s gone too far. In Philadelphia today I saw
a kid on a leash look mom-ward

and announce his fondest wish: one
bicentennial burger, hold

the relish. Hold is forget,
in American.

On the courts of Philadelphia
the rich prepare

to serve, to fault. The language is a game as well,
in which love can mean nothing,

doubletalk mean lie. I’m saying
doubletalk with me. I’m saying

go so far the customs are untold.
Make nothing without words,

and let me be
the one you never hold.

--There's a repetition of America, followed by a repetition of Philadelphia.
--The piece has a hill-like build, using line breaks to create odd potential and then using definitions to clarify the possibilities.
--The piece more than manipulates language, but creates new words, like "mom-ward."
--The "courts" of Philadelphia creates a duality of rich and poor solely by association, basketball courts an association with a middle-class or lesser activity versus the judicial courts of the rich.
--By the seventh stanza, the speaker directly addresses the audience, changing the tone of the piece.
--McHugh creates his own meaning through words and their other meanings. For example, "Doubletalk with me", with double-talk having once been explained as lie can also mean "lie with me."--physically.