“Audre Lorde” by jumpfightgo is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
My Name is Nylina Valenzano. The title of my work is “Audre Lorde and Poetic Justice”. I will be using a CC BY License.
Introduction
The early work of Audre Lorde encapsulates the idea that humanity and the environment are inherently interconnected and encourages readers to recognize this notion. She used an array of literary devices to convey the connection between nature and human identity. Lorde’s poetry validated her identity and the personal experiences that came with it despite the challenges she faced as a woman who had to endure the disadvantages of intersectionality due to her race, gender, and sexual identity. Environmental justice is a concept that Lorde fought for alongside social equality and her work served as an instrument to motivate others to inspire change in their own lives and include people of all backgrounds as they do it. Poetry is an important tool for Audre Lorde, one that she believes is a necessity for reform to take place.
“‘When I dare to be powerful- to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid’. Audre Lorde #Quotes #quote” by incurable_hippie is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
Theme
Throughout Lorde’s work, there are two major themes that can be identified. She famously used nature as a motif in her writing and placed a heavy emphasis on nature’s connection to human identity. Being a black, lesbian woman in an era where racism, misogyny, and homophobia were at an all time high led Lorde to use her voice in the form of poetry to encourage all the people who came to know and understand her work through shared struggles. Additionally, Lorde emphasized the link between the environment and social change in her poetry. To Lorde, environmental justice and social change are two issues that intersect because they both have major impacts on our quality of life.
“Audre Lorde Quote” by UNARMED CIVILIAN is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Analysis
The photos I’ve included are meant to convey the passion Lorde had for her message and her craft. The first photo shows Lorde in the middle of speaking with a serious expression on her face, which indicates that she is discussing an important subject matter. The following images are quotes from Lorde’s published work. The first quote demonstrates Lorde’s resilience and devotion to her activism, which leads her to ignore the fear that comes with being in her position. The second quote is displayed on a poster at a protest for women’s rights, which demonstrates Lorde’s work being put into action like she intended it to be. In addition to these images, Lorde’s poem “Coal” was intended to uplift and celebrate her own identity along with those who look like her.
“As a diamond comes into a knot of flame
I am black because I come from the earth’s inside”
This quote illustrates the connection between nature and personal identity through the use of a simile. There is a sense of belonging established in this poem as Lorde essentially exclaims that she was born of the earth and, therefore, belongs on it. This is significant because it was released during a time where the being black was deemed a negative thing by the dominantly white population. In a time where black people were viewed as less than human and not of this earth, Lorde’s poem provided a sense of validation and a confirmation that they were exactly where they belonged.
Application
Audre Lorde’s Poetry was extremely significant because she never once shied away from writing about topics that directly countered the popular culture of her time. Though she was not the only poet writing about the being black or a woman in America, Lorde’s poetry and prose were different in that they tied environmental justice to the problems she was discussing in her writing. Being alive during second wave feminism, which worked to help white women and left out women of color, increased Lorde’s passion toward speaking up about the discrimination and oppression of black women in society. She understood the weight of a human’s connection to nature and celebrated it in her writing, which made her stand out from other writers of her time. Lorde’s concern for people and the environment were an important aspect of writing and the impacts of her work can still be seen today through the persistent fight for equality and freedom.
