In order to answer an essay question on any poem it is vital that you understand what it is about. This section includes:
- The poem in a nutshell
- A “translation” of the poem, section by section
- A commentary of each of these sections, outlining Caleb Femi’s intention and message
“Thirteen” in a nutshell
“Thirteen” was written by Caleb Femi, who was born in Nigeria in 1990 and moved to Britain when he was seven years old. His life on a council estate in London is reflected in the poem in which he describes an individual surrounded by discrimination and crime.
“Thirteen” breakdown
Lines 1–4
“You will be four minutes from home
when you are cornered by an officer
who will tell you of a robbery, forty
minutes ago in the area. You fit”
Translation
- The poem begins in the middle of a conversation
- The poem directly addresses a second-person listener:
- It is implied the “you” is the narrator; this puts the reader in their position
- The speaker draws attention to the crime close to their home
Femi’s intention
- The first lines of Femi’s poem submerge an ambiguous listener in the middle of a conversation to present the destabilising effect of the event
- The lines also imply the dangerous nature of the environment in which the speaker lives
Lines 5–6
“the description of a man? – You’ll laugh.
Thirteen, you’ll tell him: you’re thirteen.”
Translation
- The speaker relates the conversation between the officer and a thirteen-year old child
- The speaker is surprised the officer has said they “fit the description of a man”
Femi’s intention
- The narrator uses the casual direct speech of second person to create empathy
- Femi draws attention to how the child is perceived as a “man”, which surprises them
Line 7–8
“You’ll be patted on the shoulder, then, by another fed
whose face takes you back to Gloucester Primary School,”
Translation
- The speaker describes how the child is escorted back to school by the police (“fed”)
- By referring to the “face”, the speaker implies the officers are unfamiliar and do not engage personally with the child
- The speaker again refers to their young age as they go to “Gloucester Primary School”
Femi’s intention
- Femi makes a subtle criticism of the police force in England:
- By suggesting the officer appears nameless and unfamiliar to the child, Femi highlights the fear that is not understood by the officers
- Femi also uses colloquial language to imply a poor relationship with the police
Lines 9–13
“a Wednesday assembly about being little stars.
This same officer had an horizon in the east
of his smile when he told your class that
you were all supernovas,
the biggest and brightest stars.”
Translation
- These lines change the setting of the poem to a school hall
- Here, the officer is friendly; he smiles and speaks to the class
- However, Femi refers to a “horizon in the east” which hints, perhaps, at the limits of the officer’s friendliness
- The officer supports the teacher’s lesson, telling the children they were all the “brightest stars”:
- Femi’s superlatives here suggest the officer’s insincerity as the child seems to understand they cannot all be the “biggest” or the “brightest”
Femi’s intention
- Femi foreshadows the child speaker’s sense of isolation
- The ironic depiction of the officer’s friendliness presents his words as platitudes
Lines 14–15
“You will show the warmth of your teeth
praying he remembers the heat of your supernova;”
Translation
- The speaker describes how he smiles at the officer and hopes he can see his potential as a “star” or a “supernova”
Femi’s intention
- Femi describes the child’s sense of vulnerability with the adult police officer
- Femi shows that the boy knows the officer and the officer does not recognise him, thus implying a disconnected relationship
- He also shows the extent of the boy’s reliance on the officer’s good nature
Lines 16–17
“he will see you powerless – plump.
You will watch the two men cast lots for your organs.”
Translation
- The speaker describes a sense of helplessness in the boy’s “plump” youth
- The lines highlight that the boy is alone but there are two officers
- The officers are watching him and the boy imagines they are dividing his organs between themselves
Femi’s intention
- Femi emphasises the minority status of a vulnerable child by presenting two officers who “watch” the boy and decide his future
- The dark imagery of sharing his organs between them signifies the power they hold over his life
Lines 18–20
“Don’t you remember me? you will ask.
You gave a talk at my primary school.
While fear condenses on your lips,”
Translation
- The speaker asks the officer if he recognises him, attempting to form a bond
- Femi shows that the child is intimidated and afraid
Femi’s intention
- Femi portrays the child’s nervousness as they talk to the officers about a previous interaction to show how often the child feels fear in their environment
Lines 21–22
“you will remember that Wednesday, after the assembly,
your teacher speaking more about supernovas:”
Translation
- The speaker relates a previous assembly that discussed supernovas
Femi’s intention
- Femi portrays the child’s isolation as they attempt to make sense of their world
- Both the police officers and the teachers appear to have disconnected relationships with the child, which lead to an unspoken fear
Lines 23–24
“how they are, in fact, dying stars
on the verge of becoming black holes.”
Translation
- The poem ends with the child voicing their fear
- The teacher told the children “supernovas” are “dying stars” that become “black holes”
- The speaker remembers the officer comparing the children to supernovas
Femi’s intention
- Femi portrays an individual who sees hypocrisies in their world but cannot voice their thoughts
- The poem ends with a dark message: the child is bleak about their future