Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Balances" is a poem by Yolande Cornelia Giovanni, an American poet, writer, and activist. The poem was published in 1970 as part of Giovanni's collection, "Black Feeling, Black Talk."

The poem is a reflection on the balance of power between men and women in society. The speaker highlights the way in which society expects women to be submissive and obedient to men, and how this expectation is perpetuated in the language and literature of the time. The poem also touches on the intersection of race and gender, with the speaker acknowledging that black women face even greater obstacles in their struggle for equality.

Poetic Elements:

• Form: free verse
• Theme: power dynamics between men and women
• Imagery: references to a variety of historical and cultural figures and texts, including Shakespeare, Othello, and Cleopatra
• Tone: critical, challenging, and defiant
• Sound: the poem features repetition, alliteration, and assonance to create a musical quality
• Language: the language is plain and straightforward, but the poem still manages to convey powerful emotions
• Figurative language: the poem includes metaphors and similes to make comparisons between different ideas or concepts
• Structure: the poem is composed of eight stanzas, each with a varying number of lines. The lack of a strict structure emphasizes the idea that the struggle for equality is ongoing and messy.
• Symbolism: the poem uses symbols such as scales and weights to represent the balance of power between men and women.

In "Balances," Giovanni challenges the societal expectations placed on women, particularly black women, and calls for a more equitable distribution of power. The poem is a powerful and necessary reminder that the fight for equality is ongoing and that everyone has a role to play in making the world a more just and equitable place.

Poem Snippet:

"the truth is

we all

have to live together

and women got to be a part

of the balance

of power."