Madam and the Census Man
identity
playful
The census man, The day he came round, Wanted my name To put it down. I said, JOHNSON, ALBERTA K. But he hated to write The K that way. He said, What Does K stand for? I said, K-- And nothing more. He said, I'm gonna put it K
Madam and the Census Man - meaning Summary
Identity and Dismissal
This short poem depicts a woman asserting her name when a census taker tries to record it. The exchange over her middle initial exposes a power imbalance: the official questions and corrects, while she resists elaboration, insisting on the simple letter. The moment highlights themes of identity, authority, and dignity in a mundane bureaucratic encounter, suggesting how small acts of naming can resist erasure or control.
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