Claudia Rankine

Claudia Rankine was born in Jamaica in 1963. She earned her undergraduate degree from Williams College, then received her MFA from Columbia University — she has taught in universities and creative writing programs across the country. Rankine is known for experimenting with the blurred lines between poetry and prose, and often combines poetry, essay, and visual formats.

Movement: Contemporary

Prevalent Literary Themes: race, class/economics, grief/loss, pain, love/longing

Prevalent Literary Devices: imagery, repetition, connation

When matched with Claudia Rankine, it means that similarities have been found between your poetic style and the themes and literary techniques typically seen in works by this famous poet. For example, you might use strong imagery or powerful repetition the same way that Rankine does. Recognizing these similarities is important because it gives you information about the history of your poetic style, which poets might inspire, and what writing techniques you should try next.

Which Writing Techniques Should You Try Out Next?

Try using imagery, repetition, and purposeful connotation more often. You might also like experimenting with visuals alongside your poems, or trying to write more prose-poetry.

Make sure to check out poets.org for more information!