Iveliz Explains It All

Molly Brodak was a contemporary poet and memoirist for adult audiences, but her thoughts on poetry and prose stories apply to Iveliz Explains It All. In Bandit (2016), Brodak tells the story of herself and her father, who went to jail for robbing banks. When Brodak was around Iveliz’s age, she discovered poetry. In middle school, Brodak headed to the poetry section of her school’s library and discovered Walt Whitman’s epic poem Song of Myself (1856). In Bandit, Brodak writes, “Poetry become my companion […] It seemed to know a better way to the world—an approach more honest, more direct, sharper.” This sentiment resonates with Iveliz’s own use of poetry as a tool for navigating her emotions. About traditional stories, Brodak presents them as constructs. They don’t reflect reality but manipulation—reducing the truth into a convenient package. Iveliz’s father calls her poetry, “[A]ll random thoughts and no rhyme” (23). In conversation with Brodak, Dad’s critique becomes praise. Reality isn’t linear, and it doesn’t occur in tidy paragraphs. Iveliz declares, “Adults think kids are so stupid. / We’re really not, you know. / We can spot a lie from a mile back” (122).