Poetic analysis

Arame Sene Composition for US Experience Pr. Gibbons, Pr. Janelle Poe Lucy Terry, also known as Lucy Terry Prince was an enslaved woman in the 1700s. She was brought from Africa to America and was baptized as a Christian in her early years. This poem has been an oral tradition until Lucy Terry passed away, it was then published in 1855. Lucy Terry in her poem titled Bars Fight talks about an attack that happened upon two white families by Native Americans. In this poem, Lucy Terry can be considered as a griot because she was telling a story to a white audience. Griots are considered as storytellers, and also people who tell the news and or warn people. In her poem, she addressed her message to white colonists, who came and killed people she knew and cared about because she used very gentle words to talk about them. As stated in Bars Fight,“ Eunice Allen see the Indians coming, and hopes to see herself by running, and had not her petticoats stopped her, the awful creatures had not caught her” (line 22). Lucy Terry showed her anger by using strong words to describe the way, Eunice Allen was killed. Through her words, we can see some type of familiarity toward people who were killed in the attack. She showed sadness and compassion while narrating their death, and showed anger when she described the Native Americans. Additionally, based on the text, it is stated that inline 4, “some very valiant men to slay”. Lucy Terry used very positive words to describe her “friends”, white colonists. Knowing that she used to be enslaved, it can be perplexing to see the tenderness she puts in words while describing them. In the second poem, intitled “Bible Defense of Slavery”, the author Frances Ellen Watkins Harper was an African American abolitionist, poet, and teacher. She used to live in Baltimore and had the opportunity to attend school because her parents were free. In her poem, the author is addressing a white audience as well as Lucy Terry. Frances Ellen through her poem employed a strong tone that emphasizes her feelings toward slavery. Although she was not born into slavery, this poem shows her anger and commitment to the goal of advocating for enslaved black people. In the second sonnet of the poem, it is stated that “ Let holy horror blanch each cheek, pale every brow with fears; and rocks and stones, if ye could speak, ye well might melt to tears! “. This shows the tone of Christianity that was used in the text when the author used the words “holy”. Additionally, we can notice that Frances Ellen is furious at white people when she said that even the tools that were used to torture enslaved black people would be themselves devastated by their wickedness if they could talk. Moreover, in the fourth sonnet, the author stated that “ A “reverend” man, whose light should be the guide of age and youth, brings to the shrine of slavery the sacrifice of truth”. This means that white people brainwashed black people by using the image of a reverend, who is supposed to be the man of God. They were dishonest towards enslaved black people by telling them false information in the Bible. It also says that a reverend is supposed to be the light for the pure and youth souls to bring them in the right direction because the enslaves were uneducated instead of putting into consideration the words of God. Frances Ellen, in every part of her poem, was rough toward the white audience. Another example can be used in the last sonnet when Ellen said “ Oh! When ye pray for heathens lands and plead for their dark shores, remember slavery’s cruel hands make heathens at your doors! “. Ellen brought attention to their non-religious status and she is saying that since white people killed, tortured, took the liberty of enslaved people when the day of revenge will come, they will face what they deserved. Frances Ellen in her poem used liberation and nommo to be the voice of enslaved people and to advocate for them throughout her powerful words. Both poems have similarities such as the audience they chose to address their message to. They also have differences such as the message of the poems and backgrounds. Both of the stories are important because they play the role of a griot, which is to tell a story and to teach at the same story. It is also important because both authors addressed their words to a white audience in order to expose their sentiments towards them on one hand and the other for white people to realize their awful actions and be mindful of it.