Point of View

“Bitch Moon” is told from an unusual fourth-person point of view using the pronoun “we”. This perspective is used most often in short-form narratives to give a single voice to a collective identity. Here, the poet uses the fourth-person voice to encompass the experiences of all “small-town girls” (Line 1) — not only in this specific place, but across the country and the world. This approach creates a character arc that’s not limited to a single individual, but rather to a group of people who have been exposed to the same toxic culture. In this way the arc of the poem implies a broader cultural shift in which women are beginning to push back against subjugation and against the vulnerability that has been forced upon them.

Language and Meaning

This poem blends contemporary vernacular with language reminiscent of rural and pastoral horror. Words like “drag”, “chainsmoke...