11:00 Baldovan: Form and Structure

11:00 Baldovan: Form and Structure

Form and Structure

  • “11:00 Baldovan” follows the style of free verse poetry, which means that it does not adhere to traditional rhythm or rhyme schemes.

  • This lack of formal constraints reflects the disruption and chaos that the inmates of Baldovan could have felt, as well as their deviation from society’s norms and rules.

Line-by-Line Analysis

  • The variable line lengths throughout the poem can be seen as a metaphor for the unpredictable lives and fearful emotions of the children in the asylum.

  • Incomplete sentences and abrupt line breaks are used to mirror the fractured lives of the Baldovan inmates, contributing to the overall tension of the poem.

  • The repetition of certain phrases such as “We kids” echoes the voices of the many children who were admitted in the institution, imprinting a sense of their lingering presence even today.

Stanzas and Rhyme Scheme

  • Even though the poem follows a free verse style, there is an identifiable rhyme scheme in some parts which provides a semblance of order amidst the chaotic imagery presented.

  • The structure of the poem with three main stanzas can represent the various stages of the children’s lives in Baldovan: admission, life inside the institution, and their aftermath or legacy.

  • Despite the bleakness of the content, this sense of structure and rhythm in the poem reinstates the role of the poet as a story-teller, framing the experiences of the children in a comprehensible narrative and giving them a voice.

Visual Structure and Layout

  • The layout of the text on the page, with irregular line lengths and wide spaces between stanzas, can be seen to symbolise the erratic and disjointed reality of life within Baldovan.

  • This aesthetic aspect of the poem’s structure serves as a visual metaphor for the mental states of the children, further emphasizing the discomforting experiences they have been through.

When revising this poem, attention should be paid to the intricate balance Paterson achieves between disorder and order, chaos and structure. The choices in form and structure convey not just the bald reality of Baldovan, but also the subtler aspects of the children’s experiences and their lasting legacies.