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T‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌he Cities inside Us by Alberto Ríos

Metaphor/definitions/allusions

Alberto Ríos uses metaphors to describe human consciousness as a city in T‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌he Cities inside Us. He describes the memories and experience of people as cars driven down unmapped roads. He also insists that all places to which people have travelled are found in their inner cities. Rios uses personification in describing the location of people’s memories. “This is where/ They went. They did not disappear” assumes the memories moved to the cities by themselves (Lines 11-14).

Form

Rios’ poem is written in a simple format with each stanza consisting of non-rhyming couplets with varying lengths. The poem lacks a physical setting but describes memories in people’s hearts. The poem does not integrate any rhyme scheme and does not need any to convey its message. Consonance such as “secret citizens inside us,” alliteration such as “we have hope,” or assonance such as “we each take a piece,” are sound devices that do not seem intentionally written.

Speaker/narrator

Rios does not believe in fancy language to relay his message. However, the narrator is guarded and reluctant in sharing his feelings and thoughts. Lines 17-22 shows fear as the narrator alludes to “the loud sound within that does not come out.” The narrator does not reveal much to others because it makes him vulnerable to companions. Rios also fears attachment to those who make great impressions on him, because he fears being hurt.

Conflict

The poem uses a paradox to symbolize the human mind like a city. Within the city, the resident speaks words that he or she recognizes, but, which no one else knows. The assertion makes little sense within the context because languages are easily looked up and translated no matter how strange they appear. Rios beautifully executes the conflict by creating vivid images of memories, decisions, and experience as places, people, and cars which inhabit the cities inside persons.

Work cited

Rios, Alberto. “The Cities inside Us.” In, The Smallest Muscle in the Human Body. Port Townsend, Washington: Copper Canyon Press, 2014. 54.