Group Poetry Seminar Response:
For My People by Margaret Walker
Margaret Walker captures the pain and suffering of the African American community from both during and post slavery times. The poem encompasses the tragic history of slavery and the permanent scars it has left behind. Walker addresses the institutionalized racism in society and the extent at which it has bound individuals of the black community to the categories of manual labour, servants of white people, labourers, etc. She goes on to describe how black children grow up within these constraints, yet still search for happiness and pleasure all while experiencing the dangers of being a black person in that time period.
Despite unveiling the horrifying and heart-wrenching reality of the African American community, Walker uses this poem as a way to give how to the new generation of black children. As we come to the end of the poem, she calls on people of the African American community to stick together and hold everyone together as we make our way through life. She goes on to call for a “bloody peace”, and prays that the next generation will continue to rise above all that is against them and prosper for the sake of freedom and equality.
Other Group Poetry Seminar Response:
Nanima by Alysha Mohamed
Growing up I had this immense obsession with fitting in. Being in a private school was not easy; the hardest part was being acceptable in the eyes of my peers at school and that meant not being myself. I spent years of my life hating my culture and hating who I was all for the sake of temporary friendships. I admit still to this day I struggle with getting in touch with my roots again as I have swayed so far from them since I started school. But, what I realize is that people find beauty in uniqueness, at least I do. Being like everyone else calls for a monoculture which is something that completely contrasts what we are taught in school when it comes to being a diverse student body or accepting of different cultures. It is difficult to love your background as it also comes down to a battle between who you are culturally versus pop culture in our society. Everything that we see, hear, and experience all influences our values and beliefs, but one thing I do hope for is that people will finally be able to draw themselves away from unrealistic expectations and back to the real them, especially me. I wish I would have never fallen into the traps of being like others, and stayed true to who I was and what I was born into. Maybe one day I’ll be able to once again understand and love my culture/background, but I know that it will never be as good as what it could have been.
