Reader: Mary Bel Garza

Respondent: Tammy Wilson

“The Battle Over and Over Again”

By Safiya Henderson-Holmes

UA 242-244

Biographical Information:
          Some facts that we have all ready learned about our author from previous presentations, such as, she lived in the Bronx, worked as a physical therapist at Harlem Hospital, and eventually went back to school to earn another degree because of her love for poetry. Unfortunately she lost her battle with cancer in 2001. What I found more interesting is that most of her work was written from her own personal experiences or the personal experiences of people she knew. So the poem I am going to present is in fact a personal experience of someone she knew. Other published poems are in Bread of Life, Daily Devotionals.

Objectives:

Objective 3a:  African American Alternative:  “The Dream” emphasizes the setbacks and the need to rise again.  The poem covers past struggles that have been fought to overcome racial discrimination.

Objective 4:  Assimilation:  The debate over whether or not to assimilate to the dominate culture.  The poem makes reference to the ultimate assimilation; changing one’s skin color.

Objective 5a: To discover the power of poetry and fiction to help “others” hear the minority voice and vicariously share the minority experience.

Interpretation:

Looking at this situation through the mother’s perspective you understand racism and all its ugliness, most adults see cruelty, anger, and even being fearful .The mother has all ready experienced hardships because of her race and is sad by the fact that her daughter has to be going through similar hardships in 1983. But try picturing racism through the eyes of this little girl, children are so innocent and the small child’s issue is “Why didn’t God make me white?” She feels the pain because they are telling her she is ugly because she is black; it is so simple to her, she has no previous pain and suffering in regards this matter of racism. She is over it very quickly when she processes it in her little mind that what ever happened is okay because she thought of a way to get back at the mean boy by not giving him any of her candy. She very innocently and sweetly lifts her spirit and makes her mom’s fear go away by making some things clear by putting a new reality on racism

Past Interpretation:

          Amy Sanders interpretation from the 2004 class stated that, “This poem is about the struggles that African Americans have in trying to assimilate with the dominant culture.”

Discussion:

• What new reality did the little girl put on racism for her mother?

• In what way does the little girl personify racism?

• Does anyone have any comments about Amy Sanders's interpretation?

Thank You Very Much!!!!!!!