Why did Rita Dove write the poem

Rita Dove wrote the poem "The House of Blue Light" as a personal response to the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles in 1992. The poem is a meditation on the violence and the social injustice that led up to it. Dove uses the metaphor of a "house of blue light" to represent the fractured state of the city, where the blue light of the police cars is a constant reminder of the tension between the law and the people it is meant to protect. The poem also explores the themes of racism, poverty, and the need for understanding and reconciliation in society.