Throughout the text of 38, she uses the dual meaning of words and segments of words to refer to the legal document. For example, she states in 38 “Here, the sentence will be respected” (Long Soldier 1), referring to the language of her work, as well as the death sentence given to the Dakota men. She also uses italics in three other lines throughout the text, and in 38 she states that she italicized words “for emphasis” (Long Soldier pg.49). The sections of this poem which are italicized, seem to contain a level of reality, emotion, and grit that seems to contrast the historical sense of rest of the text.
