Poetry Analysis #3

"A Black Man Talks of Reaping"
Arna Bontemps

At first, I believe this poem is going to be about a slave telling his story. The poem talks of a man who is sows all his life, but has little material rewards to show for it. He also makes the point that those who do not work (White America) reap the benefits, while his people suffer. The whole poem uses imagery to give the reader a picture of black and white America and shows the injustice of the times. It is also a picture of a black man working hard for almost nothing. The last stanza (lines 9 - 12), is a metaphor showing the mistreatment of black men and the prosperous white man. Bontemps wants the audience to realize how severe the injustices of racism were. The audience feels sympathy and wants to change the circumstances. The shift occurs in line 9, when the black man shows the irony of slavery and racism. After reading the title, it has more significance because the black man talks of more than just reaping. He describes how he's worked his whole life just for the convenience of others, with nothing in return. The theme is that slavery is unjust, and people should be treated with equal rights.

Response
This poem had a beauty that wasn't complex. It wasn't long and elaborate, but it's message was so deep. It showed the black men's pain of seeing their people suffer in a way that stayed true to their simple way of life.

"Marks"
Linda Pastan

When I first read the title, I thought of marks on someone's skin. The poem tells of an ordinary American wife who does all she can for an underappreciative family who judges all of her hard work, until she reaches her breaking point. The whole poem is a metaphor comparing her family's approval to a report card. Pastan wants her desire to be appreciated relatable to her audience. The audience laughs at the poem because she expresses her desires in such a sarcastic and comical way. The shift occurs in the last line when she says, "I'm dropping out." The title symbolizes her "marks" that her husband and children give her based on her mother/wife performance." The theme is that we should be more appreciative to our mothers and/or wives.

Response
This is the only poem that has made me laugh. I love Pastan's dry sense of humor. She is like so many hard working mothers out there who don't get the credit they deserve. I admire her wit while addressing a serious issue.