Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Simon J. Ortiz’s "Being Poor and Powerless. And Refusing Again" is a deeply introspective poem that confronts the weight of poverty, the feeling of powerlessness that often accompanies it, and the act of refusing to submit to it—over and over again. Through a blend of personal reflection, historical reference, and social critique, Ortiz examines the psychological and material toll of economic struggle, while also hinting at the anger and desperation that such conditions can breed. The poem’s title itself is significant—it does not just address being poor and powerless, but also the act of refusing those conditions, again and again, despite their persistent reality.

The poem opens with a casual phone call from Roxanne, which serves as a bridge between past and present: "Guess who's back in town?" The speaker tries to remember someone from "twenty years ago or so. 1976, 1977." The uncertainty in his recollection reflects the passage of time and the shifting nature of relationships, particularly among those who have lived through economic instability. The answer—"Mendoza."—comes as a surprise, but "maybe not." This phrase introduces an immediate ambivalence—while the speaker didn’t expect to hear about Mendoza, perhaps his return, or his circumstances, are not truly shocking.

Roxanne reveals that Mendoza was featured in a newspaper story about "living in a shack somewhere in the East Bay." The image of Mendoza—still struggling, still living in poverty—places him in a familiar narrative, one of endurance rather than transformation. Roxanne’s remark—"So he's still at it,"—is dismissive, as if Mendoza’s continued poverty is a choice or a predictable fate. Her lack of sympathy deepens when she says, "He reminds me of my father." This comparison suggests a personal history of hardship, perhaps of witnessing a parent who, like Mendoza, struggled with poverty without escape.

The speaker then shifts from Mendoza to himself: "I think of myself. Being poor, feeling mostly powerless because of it." The phrase "feeling mostly powerless" is key—it acknowledges that poverty does not have to mean total powerlessness, yet "that's how it mostly is." This subtle distinction captures the psychological burden of financial insecurity. Even if poverty does not inherently strip a person of all agency, the way it operates in society—through economic systems, social hierarchies, and cycles of scarcity—makes it feel inescapable.

The poem then introduces an unexpected historical reference: "I think of the Unabomber's letter to a Mexican peasant farmer, telling him he had $53.01 to last him through the hard Montana winter." This moment is striking—it brings in Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber, a figure associated with extreme anti-industrial, anti-capitalist violence. The reference to Kaczynski writing to a poor farmer frames a kind of radical disillusionment with modern economic systems. The specificity of "$53.01"—down to the penny—emphasizes the precarity of survival under poverty. This stark number resonates with the speaker’s own experience: "And I think of myself at times counting my last pennies again." The repetition of "again" suggests a cycle that has not been broken, a return to economic instability no matter how much time passes.

The poem then turns to the act of refusing: "Feeling poor. Feeling poor again and again yet at the same time also refusing poverty I think." The tension in this line is central to the poem’s message—poverty is felt, experienced, and endured, but it is also something to resist. However, the uncertainty in "I think" complicates this resistance. Is refusing poverty a real act of defiance, or is it merely a state of mind, a kind of psychological survival mechanism? The speaker does not fully resolve this question.

The phrase "I'm still at it too. Refusing. Again." echoes Roxanne’s earlier statement about Mendoza—"He's still at it."—but reframes it in a different light. Whereas Roxanne’s statement suggests futility, the speaker’s repetition of "Refusing. Again." suggests persistence, even if it is weary. There is an implied dignity in refusal, in continuing to fight against a system that seems designed to break the poor.

The poem’s final lines take a darker turn: "I know too well the powerlessness that poverty eventually becomes. And when I think of it again I wonder how many of us have made plans for bombs intended for corporations, their banks, and the police state that protects them from the poor and the powerless." This shift from personal struggle to political violence is jarring but deeply intentional. The speaker is not necessarily advocating for violence, but rather acknowledging the anger and frustration that can emerge from prolonged economic oppression. The mention of "corporations, their banks, and the police state" presents a clear target—systems of power that maintain and enforce economic inequality. The phrase "how many of us have made plans for bombs" suggests that such thoughts are not uncommon among those who feel trapped and voiceless.

Ortiz’s free verse structure, with its fluid movement between personal memory, historical reference, and political reflection, mirrors the way poverty itself is a continuum—both deeply personal and structurally imposed. The poem resists a neat resolution. The speaker does not offer a clear answer about how to overcome poverty, only the reality of refusing it, even when it persists. The closing question is left open-ended, forcing the reader to confront the uncomfortable truth that systemic oppression breeds resistance, sometimes in ways that society refuses to acknowledge until it erupts.

"Being Poor and Powerless. And Refusing Again" is ultimately a meditation on endurance. It does not romanticize poverty, nor does it pretend that resistance always leads to change. Instead, it captures the daily act of refusal—not just against poverty itself, but against the internalized powerlessness that it brings. In this refusal, there is both exhaustion and defiance, a constant, weary insistence on survival.

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