5: Poem, Erika Meitner's “Wal★Mart Supercenter,” 2014.

5: Poem, Erika Meitner's “Wal★Mart Supercenter,” 2014.

This poem appears in Meitner’s fourth book of poetry, Copia, published in 2014. It was originally published inThe Rumpus, an online literature and culture magazine, in 2011.

Suggested Activity: Read the poem aloud twice as a class. The first time, have a different student read each stanza. The second time, have a different student read each sentence. Discuss:
  • Why don’t the stanzas and sentences (or the lines and sentences) match up? What effect does this have on the poem?
  • Which lines do you think hold a lot of significance? Underline them, then share.
  • What story is the writer telling? How is she telling it?
  • Why does the author bring up the idea of mercy? What does that add to the poem?
  • What do you think are the messages of the poem?
  • How does the poem relate to the American Dream?
  • How does the poem relate to Death of a Salesman? What does each text say about material goods, selling stuff, and America?
Then ask students to think about the associations they have with American stores, companies, or institutions other than Walmart. Think Starbucks, Gap, or the Red Sox. Ask students to pick one institution and write a poem in the style of Erika Meitner.

Source: Erika Meitner, “Wal★Mart Supercenter” from Copia. Copyright © 2014 by Erika Meitner. Used with the permission of The Permissions Company, Inc., on behalf of BOA Editions, Ltd., www.boaeditions.org