Song of Ocol #1

What do the following lines describe?

Diseased with a chronic illness,
Choking with black ignorance,
Chained to the rock
Of poverty,
And yet laughing,
Always laughing and dancing,
The chains on his legs
Jangling; (11-18)

Black Woman #6

In America, do you think, for humans, Black beauty is as valued as other forms of beauty-- e.g., White beauty, Asian beauty, Chican(o/a) beauty? Why or why not?

Black Woman #5

Why write a poem like this? What do you suppose Senghor may be hoping to achieve?

Black Woman #4

Explain the last two lines of the poem:

I sing your passing beauty and fix it for all Eternity
before jealous Fate reduces you to ashes to nourish the roots of life.

Black Woman #3

How would you describe the tone of the poem? What is Senghor saying about this Black Woman?

Black Woman #2

What does Senghor mean when he writes in line four, "at the height of Summer and Noon"?
Why are "Summer" and "Noon" capitalized?

Black Woman #1

Who, or what, is the "Black Woman" referred to in the poem?