Carolyn Krizer's Poem Bitch

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Nearly everyone has had that dreadful encounter with the last person they want to see in places like the supermarket, dry cleaners, or the movie theaters. What follows are a few awkward moments of strained conversation while one looks for signs of bitter regret in the eyes of his or her ex. Carolyn Krizer’s poem “Bitch” depicts such a meeting. The poem brings the reader to reality of what really goes on deep beyond conversation while seeing an ex. Through the use of personification, diction, and tone Kizer delineates the speaker’s struggle with feelings of animosity, repression, and desire for reconciliation.
The plot is centered around a planned, but possibly random meeting of two lovers.
During the cringe-worthy reunion, the speaker is fighting an internal battle with her feelings. There is something inside of her trying to claw its way out, and the bottled up bitterness threatening to rip its way to the surface. She personifies her suppressed emotions in the form of a disobedient female dog, hence the name “Bitch”. When the woman is approached by the man, she refers to hers...

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