these hips are big hips
The poem begins with a simple declarative sentence, which radiates confidence and assurance. It sets the tone for the poem as a whole, signaling to readers that they are in the hands of a speaker who knows exactly what she wants to communicate and exactly how she wants to communicate it. The repetition of "hips" twice in a single line boldly presents the topic, and the use of clipped, one-syllable words creates a relentless, percussive rhythm while also establishing a conversational, casual tone. Clifton also employs assonance, repeating short "I" vowels in the words "big" and hips," which leads to a subtle feeling of consistency and harmoniousness throughout the line. Finally, this line is end-stopped, meaning that the end of the sentence or phrase coincides with the end of the line: this creates a sense of stability and self-containment, further contributing to the impression of the speaker's assured competence.
these hips
are free hips.
In contrast to the poem's end-stopped opening line, this declaration is enjambed, meaning that a line break cuts the phrase in half. Enjambment here creates an impression of playful unpredictability, even opening up something of a power differential between speaker and reader: the reader is held in suspense, not knowing how the sentence will resolve. By using enjambment while also discussing freedom, Clifton actually demonstrates her speaker's freedom in the structure of the poem itself. The speaker is at leisure to shape her sentences as she wishes, breaking lines according to her whim, rather than following arbitrary structural rules.
these hips are mighty hips.
these hips are magic hips.
In these two lines, Clifton makes use of anaphora and alliteration, two devices that give the poem a songlike quality while also serving to reiterate the strength and power of the speaker's body. Both lines begin with the phrase "these hips are." This repetition of a single starting phrase, known as anaphora, reemphasizes the speaker's focus on her hips and creates an incantatory, mesmerizing mood. The words "mighty" and "magic," meanwhile, have the same beginning sound, and this assonance serves to increase the reader's attention to both words, and to consider the parallels between mightiness on the one hand, and magic on the other.
i have known them
to put a spell on a man and
spin him like a top!
In the final lines of the poem, the speaker discusses her body in the context of sex and sexual appeal. However, she does so in an unconventional way, continuing to highlight the way that her hips are primarily a site of her own empowerment. Rather than describe herself as being objectified, the speaker literally (though playfully) objectifies the man she is describing—while her hips, personified, exercise their own agency, the man in turn becomes toy-like and out of control. Moreover, while she is suggesting her own sexual attractiveness, she does so after asserting that she is confident, free, and capable. Therefore, the speaker tells us, it is precisely her self-regard and autonomy that are appealing to others.
