Kim Addonizio's 'What Do Women Want'

Throughout this poem, the author uses forms of heuristics in order for the reader to better grasp the hidden meaning within the text. Kim Addonizio, the author of "What Do Women Want" portrays sameness in her text by repetitions "I want," "red dress," "walk," "I" and "me" are all examples of how sameness is represented. These words are expressed from the narrator's point of view, giving the reader an insight on how she feels. These repetitions in the poem express how the narrator was able to go against the norm and march to her own beat. By going against what is expected she was fighting society and its views because to her being judged was the least of her worries. She chose to stand out, and with the freedom she received, consequences followed.
Therefore proving the fact that she is standing up to society with this dress. The use of the repetitions "walk," "I" and "me" shows the narrator's desire to go wherever she wants in this dress to benefit herself. The sameness in these words show an increase in her determination to become an individual. The use of binaries in this poem creates a way for the author to express differences. "Birth-cries" and "bury me," "fear" and "love," "tight" and "flimsy" are all examples of words that contradict each other yet enhance this text. It's ironic how the word "birth" and "bury" are used within the same sentence since they are complete opposites. However, this word choice increases the narrators drive to not stop at anything until she has this dress. The "love" the narrator has for this red dress is so strong that the "fear" of being judged for her choice in clothing is masked. In order to wear something that is "tight" or fitted a women must have confidence. Either in oneself or in the fact that they can look past the judgmental looks and comments and feel comfortable in their own