Puerto Rican Obituary

Pietri wrote “Puerto Rican Obituary” in free verse, which means that he does not stick to a prescribed rhythm or number of syllables per line. The lack of formal constraints allows poets greater flexibility to vary the length of lines from a single word to ones of ten or more syllables. This freedom is most effective when the poet enumerates the names of the five characters. For instance, in Stanza 9, he places each name on a separate line, with a longer line that begins “died dreaming about” beneath it. As an example, he writes: “Juan / died dreaming about a new car” (Lines 126-127) and, later, “Manuel / died dreaming about the irish sweepstakes” (Lines 134-135). Doing this throughout the poem emphasizes the importance of the five characters as individuals, thereby reclaiming their identities from the broader American culture that views them merely as Puerto Ricans.

In keeping with the performance aspect of this poem, Pietri makes use of rhyme at various points to heighten the poem’s aural qualities. The potential of this choice is most evident in Stanza 11, when the speaker describes visiting “the number one healer / and fortune card dealer / in Spanish Harlem” (Lines 159-161).