Juvenalian Satire In Sor Juana's Poem, Silence

In my poem “Silence,” I attempted to broach a few of the prevalent issues affecting American culture regarding police brutality that has been widespread throughout the country as of recently. Using Sor Juana’s “Poem 92” as inspiration, I aimed to emulate her poem structure, and style of using Juvenalian satire. While I feel that my poem met a portion of the criteria to be considered Juvenalian satire, I believe that my poem lacks the strong ironic humor necessary to completely be considered as true satire.
In Sor Juana’s “Poem 92,” she uses four-line stanzas to disclose her thoughts and feelings regarding the issue in which she “proves illogical both the whim and the censure of men who accuse, in women, that which they cause,” (Puchner, 263). My poem also uses the four-line stanza approach to convey my message regarding the general indifference from the majority of American citizens who feel this issue does not adversely affect themselves, “good police” not speaking up against “bad police”, and the issue of “internal affairs” which attempts to be an impartial investigator although it is a part of the body it is investigating.

For example, Sor Juana accomplishes this in the lines, “[w]ith ridiculous conceit you insist that woman be a sultry Thais while you woo her; a true Lucretia once she’s won,” (Puchner, 263) and in “[y]our doting anguish feathers the wings of liberties that women take,” (Puchner, 264). In the first example, Sor Juana paints a picture of the seductress that men pursue and then the symbol of chastity men expect women to be once the woman has been “claimed”. The second example illustrates women as a bird, since common colloquialism describes women as “flighty” in their thoughts and