Speaker or Narrator, and Point of View
Kay's poetry is often written from her own point of view, informed by her own experiences.
Form and Meter
Free-verse, and written to be spoken alloud.
Metaphors and Similes
Kay uses a metaphor to describe love, saying it is the ocean.
Alliteration and Assonance
Kay's poem title "Private Parts" uses alliteration.
Irony
In "B," Kay uses the phrase "like the back of my hand" with an ironic twist:
"And I’m going to paint the solar system on the back of her hands so that she has to learn the entire universe before she can say “Oh, I know that like the back of my hand.”
Genre
Spoken word poetry
Setting
Kay's poetry often doesn't have clear settings, and are more an exploration of ideas and themes.
Tone
The tone of Kay's poetry is often witty and ironic.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Kay's speaker is often the protagonist while there isn't a clear antagonist.
Major Conflict
Often the major conflict in Kay's poetry is her protagonist's struggle with heartbreak.
Climax
The climax of "The Type" is Kay's advocacy of forgiveness, self-love, and self-acceptance.
Foreshadowing
In her poem "B," Kay foreshadows the key events of a young woman's life.
Understatement
The speaker of "B" at first understates the power of heartbreak by suggesting that chocolate can fix it.
Allusions
Kay alludes to "Wonder-woman" in "B."
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
The ivy wrapping is described as "moulding" in "Private Parts."
Hyperbole
Kay uses hyperbole in "Private Parts:"
"There was no secret I didn't tell him, there was no moment I didn't share."
Onomatopoeia
N/A
