Philip utilized creative stylistic techniques as she wrote Zong!, forming a piece of art instead of a typical essay. It morphs the oppressive language of Gregson V. Gilbert into something powerful, highlighting the restorative abilities artists hold. The poem begins with fragments of the words “water,” “good,” and “one day.” The words appear to disintegrate in the same way physical bodies decomposed in the ocean after being forcefully thrown in. The disintegration of these words also serves to create a sense of longing. The attempt at completing the word “water” creates desperate imagery, putting the picture of a dehydrated slave clawing for water through cracked lips in the mind of the reader. Additionally, the broken diction creates an expanse of white space between the letters and words. This white space engulfing the text is representative of the ocean swallowing bodies, making the poem interesting not only to read, but also to appreciate as a stand alone art piece.