Gwendolyn Brooks: Poem Analysis

In today’s society, it is not uncommon to see women standing up for themselves and fellow women. More and more women everyday are reaching equality in the workforce and at home; however, this was not always the case. For instance, in the 1960s, women were expected to stay at home and care for the children. They were seen as voiceless and meek. It wasn’t until the feminist movement that society started to understand that women need to be heard, as well. The most important aspect of the feminist movement was the poetry written during this time. Poetry during this time is very easy to detect, as it has a certain set of ideals that highlight “women’s experiences and [their] liberation from gender oppression” (Tarver). One of the most influential feminist poets of this time was Gwendolyn Brooks. Brooks is known for her contemporary African-American poetry, as well as for her activist stance in her poetry. She is the first African-American to get the Pulitzer Prize (Griffin). Through her writing, she advocates for the rights of African Americans, especially for African American women - although she does address
In the second half of the first stanza, Brooks says, “You will never neglect or beat / Them, or silence or buy with a sweet” (Brooks 5-6). She uses negative words such as “neglect” and “beat” to show the harm that could be imposed upon the child if it were carried to term. She also uses more neutral words such as “silence” and “buy;” while they aren’t necessarily positive terms, the word “sweet” implies that the mother would have good intentions towards the baby. Once again, she purposely places one line after another to show that, while the baby could end up in a harmful environment, it could also end up in an enriched one as well. This once again addresses the struggle women go through daily when dealing with such an