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18 pages • 36 minutes read
Sarah Kay"B" (If I Should Have a Daughter)
Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 2011A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Further Reading & Resources
Related Poems
“Peacocks” by Sarah Kay (2011)
Similar to “‘B’ (If I Should Have a Daughter),” this poem has related features, in its central focus being on young people—the next generation—and in its wistfully romantic approach to style. Moreover, the narrator attempts to help young people through her guidance. In the narrator’s effort unite the two characters using a love letter, she reveals her hopes for their happiness, much like the hopes the narrator has for her hypothetical daughter in “‘B’ (If I Should Have a Daughter)."
“Morning” by Sarah Kay (2009)
“Morning” presents some points of similarity and contrast to “‘B’ (If I Should Have a Daughter).” In this poem, the narrator again references the subject matter of childhood, this time their own, using a romantic and nostalgic style. However, in contrast to “‘B’ (If I Should Have a Daughter),” the nostalgia arises in the context of an adult relationship gone awry. Rather than hoping for a happy future, the speaker must face the disappointment of the present while longing for the comfort of childhood. Stylistically, the layout of the lines resembles “‘B’ (If I Should Have a Daughter)” in the way the words seem to trickle down the page with ease, giving the impression of effortlessness.
“The Type” by Sarah Kay (2013)
This poem’s subject matter is similar to that of “‘B’ (If I Should Have a Daughter)” in its inclusion of advice for younger women. “The Type” explores similar topics to the poem, such as how to deal with romantic relationships, although it has a darker tone regarding the opposite sex. “The Type” also has more of a staccato delivery of the lines that resemble the section of “‘B’ (If I Should Have a Daughter)” that discusses the toll life can take on you using the metaphor of physical blows.
Further Literary Resources
Kay, Sarah by Sarah Kay (2011-2018)
This is Sarah Kay’s official website. It has a list of her publications as well as links to videos of all her readings. The site also contains information about her other projects, such as Project VOICE, her animated poetry web series, and Write Bloody Publishing, of which she is the editor. Finally, the site includes Kay’s social media contact information.
“Poet Sarah Kay on How We Measure Creative Success, Being a Working Artist in Today’s World, and the Only Antidote to Our Endemic Fear of Missing Out” by Maria Popova
The Marginalian provides an interview with Sarah Kay conducted by Maria Popova of The Guardian. In it, Kay discusses her book B as well as her career more broadly. The interview also includes Kay’s perspectives on poetry, being an artist in today’s world, and how creative success is measured by individuals and by culture as a whole.
This is the official website of Project VOICE (Vocal Outreach Into Creative Expression), which was launched by Kay in 2004. The program seeks to spark creative expression in young people through spoken-word poetry, using live performances and student workshops as well as professional development workshops.
Listen to Poem
Sarah Kay performs her poem “‘B’ (If I Should Have a Daughter)” at the TED2011 Conference, for which she received two standing ovations. Her performance of the poem is followed by a discussion on her own history as a poet, her writing process, and sharing her enthusiasm for the genre with students through Project VOICE.
