Comparison Of Child Of The Americas And What It’s Like To Be

Comparison of Child of the Americas and What it’s like to be a Black Girl

There are many great examples of poetry that can be related to real life and issues that people experience. These poems can concern various areas, ranging from love to politics and beyond. Two examples of poetry that pertain to race and the poets' feelings regarding that race are Child of the Americas by Aurora Levins Morales and What It’s Like to Be a Black Girl (for Those of You Who Aren’t) by Patricia Smith. These poems are both related to the racial issues and ethnic backgrounds of the poets who composed them. Examining these poems reveals how different perspectives on heritage and identity manifest through poetic expression, reflecting distinct cultural narratives.

This paper will analyze and compare these poems, focusing on how each poet’s background influences their tone, symbolism, themes, and portrayal of race and ethnicity. It will explore Morales's positive and prideful depiction of her Caribbean roots contrasted with Smith’s raw and candid depiction of African American girlhood. The historical context, poetic forms, and stylistic choices will also be discussed to understand how these factors shape the messages conveyed in each poem.

Introduction

Poetry serves as a powerful medium for expressing personal and collective identities, especially concerning race and ethnicity. The two poems, though separated by cultural backgrounds and tone, offer insightful perspectives into the respective experiences of the poets. Aurora Levins Morales’s Child of the Americas emphasizes pride in multicultural heritage, celebrating a blend of Caribbean, European, and African ancestry. Conversely, Patricia Smith’s What It’s Like to Be a Black Girl depicts the struggles, raw emotions, and societal pressures faced by African American women growing up in the United States.

Thematic and Tonal Contrasts

Morales’s Child of the Americas emanates a tone of affirmation and celebration of her mixed heritage. The poem portrays a sense of pride in her Caribbean roots, language, and cultural identity, employing optimistic symbolism and positive language. She describes herself as a “child of many diaspora,” embracing her multicultural background without apology. The tone reflects an assertion of identity that recognizes her unique position at a crossroads of different cultures, ultimately affirming her unity with her Caribbean, Latino, African, and European ancestry.

In stark contrast, Smith's What It’s Like to Be a Black Girl presents a tone that is visceral, confrontational, and honest. The poem employs explicit language and vivid imagery to portray the internal and external struggles of Black girlhood, including feelings of otherness, societal marginalization, and the physical realities of growing up Black in America. The tone is intentionally provocative, aiming to shock and evoke empathy. Smith’s delivery of emotional truths about her race and gender highlights societal oppression, identity crises, and resilience.

Poetic Structure and Style

Both poems adopt a narrative form, allowing the poets to tell their stories about race and identity. Morales’s work employs free verse with a flowing, lyrical quality, emphasizing cultural pride. Her use of code-switching—blending English and Spanish—strengthens the sense of bicultural identity, creating a rhythm that mirrors natural speech. Her poetry’s structure promotes a positive, affirming message about multicultural pride.

Smith’s poem also employs free verse but emphasizes raw emotional expression. Her vivid descriptions, aggressive diction, and use of symbolism—such as “smelling blood” to symbolize menstrual awakening—serve to confront the reader with stark realities. Her narrative style captures the tumult of adolescence, highlighting pain and resilience through visceral language and imagery.

Symbolism and Cultural Representation

Morales’s symbolism reflects her pride: references to Spanish language, garlic, mangoes, and her roots in the Caribbean evoke a rich cultural identity rooted in positive association. Her assertion that “Spanish is in my flesh” symbolizes cultural inheritance and pride, emphasizing acceptance and celebration of her ethnicity.

Smith’s symbolism is more visceral and confrontational. The imagery of “smelling blood in your breakfast” symbolizes a heightened awareness of bodily changes, societal discrimination, and internal struggles. Her descriptions evoke a sense of awakening and the often painful realization of racial identity, emphasizing resilience amid adversity.

Context and Setting

Morales’s poem is set against the backdrop of her Caribbean and Californian upbringing, emphasizing her dual cultural influences. The geographical locations underscore her identity as a Puerto Rican and American, embracing both. Her tone and imagery reflect her positive connection to her birthplace and heritage.

Smith’s poem situates the reader in an urban American setting, possibly in a marginalized community where violence and societal biases are prevalent. Its visceral imagery and candid language reflect the harsh realities of Black girlhood in America, capturing a sense of struggle, community, and resilience within a context of systemic inequality.

Impact and Significance

Both poems serve as reflections of identity but with contrasting messages. Morales’s work champions pride and unity, emphasizing a celebration of multicultural origins and the blending of histories. Smith’s work provides an unflinching look at the pains and challenges faced by Black girls, fostering empathy and understanding. Both contribute to ongoing conversations about race, heritage, and resilience, illustrating how personal narratives influence broader societal perceptions.

Conclusion

In summation, Child of the Americas by Aurora Levins Morales and What It’s Like to Be a Black Girl by Patricia Smith exemplify different poetic approaches to expressing racial and ethnic identity. Morales’s positive and proud tone underscores cultural pride and celebration of diversity, while Smith’s raw and provocative tone articulates the pain, struggles, and resilience of Black girlhood. Despite their differences, both poems deepen understanding of racial identity, emphasizing the importance of personal stories in shaping societal narratives about race and ethnicity.

References

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• Grossman, M. A. (2012, April 13). Poet Patricia Smith spun Motown manuscript into poetry collection. Saint Paul Pioneer Press.
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• Rosa, H. C. (2006). Analyzing discourse to uncover power relations in verse: A critical lens for translating classical Chinese poetry. English Quarterly, 38(4), 8-14.
• Scioli, E. (2010). The dream narrative as a mode of female discourse in epic poetry. Transactions of the American Philological Association, 140(1).