I Took My Power in My Hand

I Took My Power in My Hand - meaning Summary

Boldness Against Inner Limits

The speaker declares an act of defiant courage, taking power and confronting the world. She invokes the David-and-Goliath image to suggest heroic intent, yet the poem quickly undercuts that confidence: her missile is a pebble and she is the one who falls. The closing question—whether the foe was too large or she was too small—shifts the focus inward. The poem explores the tension between outward bravado and inner limitation, turning a boast into a moment of self-doubt and ironic self-examination.