What is the perspective in the poem, On Turning Ten?

On Turning Ten is written in first-person perspective from the point of view of a young child. Moreover, it breaks the fourth wall between the central narrator and the reader; they speak directly across the page, using the pronoun “you.” The speaker and their narrative voice are consistent throughout the poem, as the work represents a single snapshot in time. However, the way the speaker conveys their inner thoughts deepens and carries more nuance as the poem progresses. This gives the speaker a worldly introspection beyond their years, even as the voice retains the childlike sense of innocence and wonder.