Terrance Hayes explicates, “If you subtract the minor losses,/you can return to your childhood too:/the blackboard chalked with crosses.” The ‘minor losses’ signify Terrance’s childhood, heartening innocence.
The despondency ( blue) is attributed to the forfeiture of innocence. “The Blue Terrance” hints at Terrance Hayes’ unhappiness, considering the inclusion of the author’s first name in the title. The racially-enthused assaults on black people are analogous to an incessant assassination of the black race. Plausibly, the ‘past assassin’ alludes to the individuals who proliferated racism against the persona’s forefathers whereas the ‘future assassin’ makes reference to the individuals who will endeavor to assassinate (extinguish) the black people for deeming them menaces. Therefore, a deconstruction of the second part of the title diminishes the irony in the first part of the title. Probably the dark blue skin/Of a black man matches the dark blue skin/Of his son the way one twilight matches another.” These lines employ the Twilight versus Darkness binary whereby the emblematic twilight characterizes the white skinned people whereas the figurative darkness alludes to the black people. To elaborate, Terrance Hayes writes, “Probably twilight makes blackness/Darkness. The irony in the first part of the title enhances the reader’s comprehension of the second half that reads, “Probably twilight makes blackness dangerous.” The second half proffers connotations of racism whereby the black people are viewed as dangerous due to their darkness. Therefore, addressing the ‘future assassin’ alongside the ‘past assassin’ is ironic because a dead individual cannot be assassinated twice. The actuality of a ‘past assassin’ means that the persona was assassinated in the past and, thus, does not exist.
Literally, the introductory half of the title, “American Sonnet for My Past and Future Assassin”, is ironic.
“American Sonnet for My Past and Future Assassin" Written by people who wish to remain anonymous We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community.
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