I Am A Black Woman By Mari Evans
Analysis of “I am a Black Women”
During the Black Art Movement from 1960 through 1975 several black American poets produced some engaging poems. Mari Evans, one of the most energetic and respected poets of the Black Arts movement, on her poem” I am a Black Woman” emphases the cruel reality black woman are facing on the daily basis in our society. She used her own experience as an example to give hope and perseverance to all black women who needed. The simplicity of her writing makes her poem easy to follow and understand. The author makes the poem flows as a song, to describe the situation of the period.
The speaker wanted to give hope back to black women. Mari Evans relates the situation as her own reality, she used the first person to make
more engaging. At this period Black American suffered of racial discrimination because of their skin color. Therefore her point of view resumed as the acceptance of black women in our society. Her diction is formal, everyday words, but also some comparison related to the last battle of the Korean War, such as” Da Nang and Pork Chop Hill”(16). The theme is the racial discrimination black women are facing. The way she started her poem is an example of confidence and proudness as a black women. That is standing out as a response to a personal question; “I am a black women”(1) this is who I am. In the second line, she became more melancholic and personal “ the music of my song”(2). In reference of slavery, singing was a part of the slaves’ life to come over their sadness and anger. The author found herself in involuntary situation, but the strong black women she had become will help her facing all the undesirables challenge in life:” I saw my mate leap screaming to the sea” (10). The imagery of slavery in this passage describes the external conflict of the society.
Evans used the image of the black women as a character with authority and determination. A black woman who will do everything to obtain what she deserve by right “I am a black woman/ tall as a cypress strong”(21-23), the comparison between the cypress and the black women represent the human nature conflict. The imagery sounds gave a sad aspect to the poem such as: “I can be heard humming in the night, Can be heard humming in the night.”(5-8) Her free verse poem engaged more coordination between the stanzas.
The lyrical poem by Evan invited the new generation of black women to always express their self to obtain was they deserve by right, she mentions:” Beyond all definition still defying place and time and circumstance assailed, impervious, indestructible, look on me and be renewed.”(25-33). The poem is dedicated to everyone who wants to fight for a bright future. Sometimes when we are facing some difficult moments in life we tend to step back. The form she used make the poem as a song for black women never give up no matter the circumstances” for examples: “Now my nostrils know the gas/ and these trigger tire/ D fingers/ seek
During the Black Art Movement from 1960 through 1975 several black American poets produced some engaging poems. Mari Evans, one of the most energetic and respected poets of the Black Arts movement, on her poem” I am a Black Woman” emphases the cruel reality black woman are facing on the daily basis in our society. She used her own experience as an example to give hope and perseverance to all black women who needed. The simplicity of her writing makes her poem easy to follow and understand. The author makes the poem flows as a song, to describe the situation of the period.
The speaker wanted to give hope back to black women. Mari Evans relates the situation as her own reality, she used the first person to make
more engaging. At this period Black American suffered of racial discrimination because of their skin color. Therefore her point of view resumed as the acceptance of black women in our society. Her diction is formal, everyday words, but also some comparison related to the last battle of the Korean War, such as” Da Nang and Pork Chop Hill”(16). The theme is the racial discrimination black women are facing. The way she started her poem is an example of confidence and proudness as a black women. That is standing out as a response to a personal question; “I am a black women”(1) this is who I am. In the second line, she became more melancholic and personal “ the music of my song”(2). In reference of slavery, singing was a part of the slaves’ life to come over their sadness and anger. The author found herself in involuntary situation, but the strong black women she had become will help her facing all the undesirables challenge in life:” I saw my mate leap screaming to the sea” (10). The imagery of slavery in this passage describes the external conflict of the society.
Evans used the image of the black women as a character with authority and determination. A black woman who will do everything to obtain what she deserve by right “I am a black woman/ tall as a cypress strong”(21-23), the comparison between the cypress and the black women represent the human nature conflict. The imagery sounds gave a sad aspect to the poem such as: “I can be heard humming in the night, Can be heard humming in the night.”(5-8) Her free verse poem engaged more coordination between the stanzas.
The lyrical poem by Evan invited the new generation of black women to always express their self to obtain was they deserve by right, she mentions:” Beyond all definition still defying place and time and circumstance assailed, impervious, indestructible, look on me and be renewed.”(25-33). The poem is dedicated to everyone who wants to fight for a bright future. Sometimes when we are facing some difficult moments in life we tend to step back. The form she used make the poem as a song for black women never give up no matter the circumstances” for examples: “Now my nostrils know the gas/ and these trigger tire/ D fingers/ seek