In the Waiting Room, Elizabeth Bishop: Summary & Analysis
"In the Waiting Room" is a well-known poem by Elizabeth Bishop, written in 1971 and published in the collection Geography III in 1976. The poem reflects a young girl's experience waiting for her aunt at the dentist's office and explores themes of identity and self-awareness.
Facts About This Work Fact Details Title In the Waiting Room Author Elizabeth Bishop Year Written 1971 Publication Geography III, 1976 Setting Worcester, Massachusetts, February 5, 1918 Theme Identity, self-awareness, and the body Form Unrhymed free verse with iambic trimeter tendencies Summary
‘In the Waiting Room’ recounts a significant moment from the speaker’s childhood, reflecting on her experience and personal realization.
Setting: The poem takes place in a dentist's waiting room in Worcester, Massachusetts, on February 5, 1918. It describes the time of day as afternoon with early darkness due to winter.
Speaker's Experience: The young speaker, who is six years old, is waiting for her aunt’…