Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Audre Lorde's 1971 poem "Progress Report" masterfully delves into the complexities of parent-child relationships, the struggles of identity, and the passage of time, offering a nuanced portrayal of how love evolves through changing circumstances. The narrative is built on the intimate conversations between a parent and a child, and the evolving sense of love, understanding, and perhaps, confusion, that marks the relationship.

The opening lines lay out the uncertainties the parent feels towards the child's changing demeanor: "When you do say hello I am never sure / if you are being saucy or experimental or / merely protecting some new position." There's a palpable sense of displacement here, of being on unstable emotional terrain, revealing the complexities inherent in the shift from childhood to adolescence or adulthood.

The phrase "Sometimes you gurgle while asleep / and I know tender places still intrigue you," captures a bittersweet moment. The gurgle, an unconscious act, represents the remnants of childhood innocence, which the parent clings to even as they acknowledge the child's journey towards independence.

The poem then transitions into an introspective moment for the parent: "You are the child of wind and ravens I created / always my daughter I cannot recognize / the currents where you swim and dart." This line embodies the paradox of parenting-the child you bring into the world inevitably becomes a separate, often enigmatic, individual. The 'currents' are both the cultural and personal experiences that have shaped the child, inaccessible to even the most empathetic parent.

Lorde introduces another layer of complexity through the lens of race and cultural heritage with the lines, "wondering if I have taught you Black enough." This single phrase encapsulates the anxiety of passing on not just wisdom but cultural legacy, a poignant issue in Black families in America. It indicates the balancing act of raising a child to fit into a certain social structure while maintaining one's heritage, underlined by the concern over the child's adoption of 'dark rude and tender' forms of love.

The poem's ending lines, "I have not yet seen you, but / I hear the pages rustle / from behind closed doors," paint a vivid scene of the child's quest for self-discovery through 'secret reading,' unknown to the parent. Here, the 'pages' could symbolize a variety of things: a burgeoning sense of self, a political or cultural awakening, or even emotional maturation. What's clear is that the child is forging their own path, leaving the parent listening at the threshold of their evolving lives.

"Progress Report" provides an intricate landscape of the emotional and psychological dimensions of parenting. It's an eloquent exploration of love's resilience and adaptability, as well as a poignant commentary on the tensions of raising a child in a racially fraught environment. Lorde's meticulous handling of language and imagery captures the myriad nuances of a relationship in flux, embodying the universal trials and joys of love across generations.

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