[you fit into me]

Margaret Atwood’s poem, “[you fit into me],” is a concise free-verse poem of four lines, meaning there are no consistent patterns of rhyme, rhythm, or meter throughout the entirety of the piece. The poem is divided into two stanzas, or groupings of lines, each two lines in length. This mirroring of stanza length is the only formal element in the poem’s construction. This choice reflects both the harmony and tension that exists in the poem. Atwood uses the form to speak to and amplify the content of the poem, exposing how something that is seemingly symmetrical and harmonious can, in an instant, crumble, and stand in violent opposition. Atwood even goes so far as to fit the title of the poem inside two square brackets, adding another layer of double meaning to the piece. The title can appear to fit perfectly inside these brackets, mirroring the ideals of Stanza 1, or else, feel trapped like that of Stanza 2 (see: Poem Analysis).

Each stanza is unified by a lack of capitalization and punctuation. The absence of these common conventions adds a sense of unease to the poem; readers do not know what to expect next without common, predictable patterns such as rhyme, rhythm, meter, capitalization, and punctuation. The poem, therefore, feels loose and conversational, adding significant shock value to the final twist.