~Henry Paterson, Class of 2024

Poet X: Xiomara & Aman

In the novel The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo, Xiomara’s relationship with Aman is important, because Aman gives Xiomara confidence in herself that no one else gives her. As Xiomara and Aman’s relationship starts to grow, they start going to the smoke park everyday after school and listen to music together. Today however Aman says “No music today, X. Instead I want to hear you. Read me something” (111). This meeting in the smoke park, is the first time in the Xiomara and Aman’s relationship that Aman shows interest in Xiomara’s poetry and into her as a person. Xiomara expects Aman’s request to listen to her poems and shares to him her work, even though she feels a little scared to do so. Aman tells her that the poems are superb and that he would like to listen to them again, this gives Xiomara confidence in her poetry. At Reuben’s house party Xiomara and Aman start to dance, and in the middle of a song Xiomara says she needs some air and she steps outside. Aman follows her and sits down next to her, when Xiomara and Aman are sitting alone together on Reuben’s stoop, Aman says to Xiomara, “Read me a poem, X? I want to remember your voice when I think about tonight” (169). Xiomara constantly faces issues with confidence in herself and in what she can do, throughout the text. However, with Aman showing interest in not only her poems but also her as a person, Xiomara is growing confident in herself. She is opening up and becoming more vulnerable with Aman, which shows growth in Xiomara and in her relationship with Aman. Throughout the text we see that Xiomara does not have a lot of confidence in herself and her abilities, however when she is with Aman she is filled with confidence in herself. Aman is an important character in Xiomara’s life, because he gives her something that no one else can, confidence.