Affrilachian poetry is one of many types of poetry reflecting the history of the Appalachian region. The writers put their own experiences and emotions into the poems to supply the reader with lots of imagery and a dose of what life was like for them. One poem in particular, “Raised by Women” by Kelly Norman Ellis, really stood out to me.
The poem is about Ellis’s childhood and how she was raised by women, most likely her mother and aunts. They seemed to be a very encouraging, supportive family who loved to have fun, but they also had their dark moments. They talk about how the women were divorced, but they got over it and continued on with their lives, trying to make the best out of them. There are also references to well known African Americans, such as James Brown, a well known singer, and Angela Davis, an activist, suggesting that Ellis and her family looked up to celebrities for inspiration to continue living good lives.
Poems like Ellis’s and the others on Coal Black Voices help people, whether they live in Appalachia or not, get a glimpse of what life was like for an African American in the Appalachian region. The poems are very deep and powerful, and they help to strengthen Appalachias long and deep history.
-C
5 comments:
It seems that "I Was Raised By Women" was the most popular poem on the site. Did you like any of the others?
-M
Is the content of the poem what makes the poem "Affrilachian" or simply that the author is from the Appalachian region? Are there any poets that you have researched that are not natives of Appalachia that still write poetry that is considered "Affrilachian"?
How would you/ could you pick out this genre in other contexts such as a literature anthology or a literary magazine? --S
I also really enjoyed "Brown Country" by Nikky Finney. It had a strong point of view and told an interesting story about racism in Appalachia, but I think it was based off an older era. What did you think of it??
Do you believe the poem you read was very accurate? -MK
poetry is tied deeply into the history of the region it shows the struggles and the great times peole had.
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