Alfonsina Storni

Looking back through some of Storni's works, I think You Want Me White is my favorite. Storni's imagery is always powerful. One of my favorite parts is when she says,

You in the gardens

Black with Deceit

Dressed in red

Ran to your Ruin.

Her words cut straight to the heart. In this poem especially, I really like how she throws the double-standard back onto men. Why are girls called sluts when they sleep around, and men are studs. It doesn't make much sense. Yet she words it in a way that is much more raw than that. Then at the end she poses an impossible challenge to men to try to cleanse themselves with nature. Only then can they ask women to remain pure. In a lot of poetry, writers tend to beat around the bush and imply meanings. However, in this poem Storni is rather straightforward despite her vivid imagery. I find that refreshing and intriguing.