Study the Masters Lucille
Clifton
like my aunt timmie.
it was her iron,
or one like hers,
that smoothed the sheets
the master poet slept on.
home or hotel, what matters is
he lay himself down on her handiwork
and dreamed. she dreamed too, words;
some cherokee, some masai and some
huge and particular as hope.
if you had heard her
chanting as she ironed
you would understand form and line
and discipline and order and
america.
- Callaloo 22.1 (1999) 54
Greetings, Class.
Over the course, we have explored the ways gender differences may have impacted the experiences and choices of enslaved people. Today, we explored those experiences more closely. This poem helped us to unpack some of our discoveries.
Consider how intersectional identity, being both Black/African and a woman, impacted the individual experiences of women in enslaved communities. You may include examples from the The African American Odyssey or A Mercy. Feel free to include links and additional resources as examples or helpful information.
Yours truly,
Dr. Hill
