In the poem "I hope You Believe Me", Heru strives to teach about the oppression faced by people of African descent through metaphors. Heru's poem has three strengths. It is provoking, articulate and subtlety reflects on various black thoughts on oppression. The poem is provoking due to its strong metaphors. Seven Years Old is a "strong African woman" who turns into the "perfect worker" by scientists that steal her and operate on her- which results in long term memory lost. In my mind this part of the poem was a metaphor of the millions of strong Africans that were taken from their homeland by outsiders, forced to work grueling labor that no one else wanted to do.
[...] The grandmother's advice is a reflection on the definition of Black Theology-the sum total of the African and African American religious experience starting in Africa brought to and impacting America, having a past, present, and redemptive future. The grandmother tells her grandchild to let go of the past hurts and pains of slavery, including a negative view of ourselves as Black people in America. She tells the child to have a positive perspective of himself and all his people have overcome and achieved for his benefit. [...]
[...] This reminded me of Juniper Hammond, a black man in bondage who encouraged other slaves, his brothers and sisters to be obedient slaves and to stop running for freedom from the very oppressors that took their lives, raped their children and beat their backs with whips. I only found one weakness in this poem, which would be its structure. I think that the poem should have truly been two distinct poems, since the first half about Seven Year Old and the three men do not interact. [...]
[...] Parental involvement is also scrutinized, as well as the state of our education system and how to side step the pit falls that ail many young people of African descent. Building character as a means to create empowerment in the black community was also a main focus and strength within this text. Virtues and values are encouraged. A mindset, which we must be, is the change that we want to see, and that dignity and pride for ourselves and each other was emphasized as well. Coming together as [...]
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