“Incident” is written in ballad stanza, which I thought was really interesting, because it creates a tone for the poem that juxtaposes the serious subject. This juxtaposition reflects that the incident stood out among all the experiences the speaker had between May and December. The choice of ballad stanza also makes the poem feel like it is truly from the perspective of a child, even though the speaker recounts the events from a removed perspective. It makes the incident feel small in comparison to the large amount of time that the speaker says he experienced in Baltimore. However, the shortness of this incident conflicts with the idea that this is the only thing that the speaker remembers from those months, telling us that this was actually a very big event. This is really interesting to think about in terms of what events we remember and what events shape our lives as humans. This seemingly small event, and the fact that the boy’s use of one word created an entire “incident” for the speaker is remarkable. This reflects on the power of language, and the nature of language in shaping memory. 

This juxtaposition is carried into lines 6 and 7, when the speaker describes himself as smiling, and the boy as poking out his tongue. The contrast in the description of their facial expressions juxtaposed with the fact that both boys are roughly the same age reveals that this incident was unexpected for the speaker. This separates the two boys who are initially described similarly, and adds surprise to the event, which adds to an explanation for why the event stood out in the speaker’s mind. This also reveals another message about life and memories. The speaker doesn’t remember events that were expected or seemed mundane or even positive. He remembers this one, unexpected indecent with very negative connotations. The choice to use ballad stanza also shapes this message, by making the poem read like a parable. It is almost as if the audience is not just adults, but also children, who may be tasked with memorizing this poem in an effort to teach a lesson about the power of words and the nature of “incidents.”