The Undefeated

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 2019

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Summary

Background

Poem Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Repetition

“The Undefeated” relies on repetition, particularly anaphora, which uses words that either replace or refer to words in previous lines. Almost every section of the poem begins with “This is for” followed by the people that section is dedicated to. After the people are referenced, Alexander begins the next line with the word “who” and then describes the things those people did.

The repetition gives the poem a united structure, and it also contributes to the poem’s ode-like structure.

Additionally, Alexander uses repetition for emphasis. This is most apparent in the three pages that repeat the line “This is for the unspeakable.” The emphasis of this line acts like exclamation points, drawing the reader’s attention to the powerful line and causing it to stand out from the rest of the poem.

Later, Alexander also uses repetition when he names various athletes. The lines repeat the same structure with the article “the” followed by the athletes’ names. The point here is to build the strength of the thematic point Alexander is making. The repetition of names is like the placing of bricks when building a wall. Each brick is strong on its own, but it does not build anything. Together, the collective strength of the bricks builds a powerful wall. Alexander wants readers to see the strength not only of the individuals he names but also the collective strength of the Black community as a whole.

Historical Allusions

The poem contains many historical allusions. This guide has already covered the allusions to Jesse Owens, Jack Johnson, and other athletes, and the pictures that accompany the text include many influential Black people from American history. At the end of the poem, Alexander actually includes a list of every person referenced in the art along with a short biographical sketch of the person.

Within the text of the poem, Alexander also alludes to different writers with the use of italics. He references Malcolm X, Gwendolyn Brooks, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Langston Hughes. For most of these allusions, Alexander incorporates the words of these historical figures seamlessly into his own text. For example, early in the poem, he mentions how Black soldiers during the Civil War fought to defend “the red, white, and weary blues” (Line 26), alluding to Langston Hughes’s poem “The Weary Blues.” This is an example of Alexander using the voices of these historical figures to help tell the story of African American history. He is amplifying and complimenting his own message with their authentic voices.

Form and Meter

“The Undefeated” is a free verse poem with no set rhythm or rhyme scheme. Instead of relying on a set meter, Alexander utilizes repetition to give the poem its rhythmic feeling, including using anaphora with the repetition of “This is for.” He also uses quite a bit of alliteration, such as in the first section when he writes, “This is for the unforgettable. / The swift and sweet ones / who hurdled history” (Lines 1-3). Additionally, the repetition of the prefix un- gives the entire poem a sense of cohesiveness, as almost every section includes a word with this prefix.

This poem can best be described as an ode. Odes are typically poems of direct address and praise, and “The Undefeated” both directly addresses its subject (African Americans) and praises that subject. Specifically at the end of the poem, Alexander uses the second person to address “you,” and these lines are accompanied by images of Black children. Considering the poem is published as a children’s book, this direct address signals Alexander’s most desired audience: Black children. This is because the poem is all about empowerment and celebration, and Alexander wants this message to be passed on to current and future generations of young Black people.