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“Theme for English B” is a dramatic monologue that follows the thoughts and feelings of the speaker as he prepares his response to a writing prompt from his English teacher. His preparation moves through three basic stages: (1) receiving the prompt, (2) contemplating his approach to the prompt, and (3) formulating a concrete response to the prompt. These three stages map onto the poem’s first three stanzas. In the first stanza, the speaker records his writing assignment, then he walks back to his apartment, sits down, and prepares to write. He begins to think about the writing prompt in the second stanza, where he reflects on how difficult it is to know himself. The lines in the first half of this stanza are characterized by slightly jumbled thoughts, as if the speaker is struggling to figure out what to say. This initial confusion gives way, in the stanza’s second half, to a more deliberate attempt to arrange his thoughts in an orderly manner. Finally, in the third stanza, the lines grow shorter as the speaker articulates his thoughts in an even more intentional way. Paying careful attention to his language, he works hard to express himself as clearly and concisely as possible.

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