Part of Speech: noun

Definition:is a Korean dish similar to a Western stew. There are many varieties; it is typically made with meat, seafood or vegetables in a broth seasoned with gochujang, doenjang, ganjang or saeujeot.

Source: Words at Dictionary

Choi Jeong Min by Franny Choi

“My Korean name is the star my mother cooks into the jjigae to follow home when I am lost.”

The word “Jjigae” is a Korean dish and in the poem the author shares how her name is like the main part of Jjigae when her mom cooks it.

Part of Speech: noun

Definition:foreigner, especially a person of Philippine, Korean, or Vietnamese

Source: Words at Dictionary

Choi Jeong Min by Franny Choi (Line 5)

“Already Knew to let my salty gook name drag behind me in the sand, safely out of sight”

The word “Gook” is a term used to express a foreign name especially a Korean, Philippine person. In the poem she expresses that her name is a very foreign Korean name.

Part of Speech: Noun

Definition:an ugly, twisted expression on a person’s face, typically expressing disgust, pain, or wry amusement.

Source: Words at Dictionary

All American Girl by Julia Alvarez, line 5

“trying to match my face/with words in my new language: grimace, leer,/disgust, disdain-feelings I had yet to feel “

The word “Grimace” means expressing disgust, or pain from reading the line in the poem I think it’s easy to get an idea that the word has a negative meaning close to disgust and disdain.

Part of Speech: adjective

Definition: relating to tension. capable of being drawn out or stretched.

Source: Words at Dictionary

Discovering colors in Prison by Nancy Gomez, line 9

“The cold, tensile sheen/ that buzzes off the electrified fence, the color of barbs/ in barbed wire.”

The word Tensile describes something to be durable because from the definition we can see that the fence was capable of being stretched and it was capable of being drawn out.

Part of Speech: noun

Definition: a soft luster on a surface.

Source: Words at Dictionary

Discovering colors in Prison by Nancy Gomez, line 9

“The cold, tensile sheen/ that buzzes off the electrified fence, the color of barbs/ in barbed wire.”

The word “Sheen” describes a lustered surface to feel soft. The author is describing the electric fence and the barb wires in the poem.

Part of Speech: Adjective

Definition: too long, slow, or dull: tiresome or monotonous

Source: Words at Dictionary

Found in “Success Story” by Mark Strand, Line 2

“Had I known at the outset the climb would be slow, difficult, at times even tedious, I would have chosen to walk the length of one of the local valleys, resigning myself to limited view, low thoughts and a life that inspired none of the loftier disenchantments.”

The word “Tedious” means too long, slow, or dull: tiresome or monotonous. The author is explain how slow and difficult his climb was compared to the local valley.

Part of Speech: Adjective

Definition: lower in station, rank, degree, or grade. lower in place or position; closer to the bottom or base

Source: Words at Dictionary

Found in “Power” by Andrei Codrescu, Line 1

“Power is an inferiority complex wound up like a clock by an inability to relax.”

The word “inferiority” means lower in place or position; closer to the bottom or base. When reading the poem I got a small idea of the meaning of the word inferiority but I wasn’t too sure so it was the idea that I had from using context clues.

Part of Speech: Noun

Definition: a tall upright post, spar, or other structure on a ship or boat, in sailing vessels carrying a sail or sails.

Source: Webster Dictionary

Found in “My Boy Willie” by Anonymous, Stanza 9

“From the cabin-boy to the mainmast high/ Ye must mourn in black for my sailor boy”

Mast means a tall upright post but with the word main being added to that it describes that it is the tallest one from all the rest and the main one to picture. I did not know what a mast was to begin with so learning the definition of mainmast helped me picture what the author was trying to express.