Link: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/art/weekly-poem-root/
Brief Summary: Published in Hayes’ Wind in a Box collection (2006), “Root” is a narrative on the dichotomy of race, particularly detailing how he (presumably as a child) and his family toiled to clean their house—which was formerly owned by white people--whilst their white neighbors relaxed as onlookers. When Hayes compares his life to his white neighbors’ lives, he starts to question what is really means to be black. Primary Theme--Race: At the start of the poem, Hayes states that his “parents would have me believe there was not such thing as race” (Lines 1-2), but his experience working in his backyard tells him something quite different. From the get-go, nearly every single image in the poem describes something in nature. In general, every thing has a negative connotation, and suggests a struggle, as though the natural elements are a hindrance. In the final 15 lines of the poem, Hayes shifts the tone from blackness to light, and turns to focus on Hayes’ internal thoughts. In contrast to the “colonies of crab-weed” (Line 14) and the “wild bouquets withered in bag by the road”(Lines 19-20), he describes the white neighbors’ houses as “clean as fence posts in porch light” (Line 33), “burning with wonder” (Line 34). He fails to understand why other people in the neighborhood “knew our name before we knew theirs” (Line 31), but it is clear that his family’s presence in the neighborhood is perceived as anomalous—they do not belong, and their presence is widely known. It is in this portion of the poem where the main question arises: What does it mean to be black? Hayes states that he often dreams of his white neighbors’ lives, and he “believed we [he and his family] were made of dirt or shadows” (Line 38). From his language, being black could be interpreted to mean being considered by whites as “irredeemable, inexact” (Line 39). Being black means to dream about the luxuries his neighbors have that his family does not have—“a grill and folding chairs, a new yard boxed in light” (Lines 41-43). However, Hayes definitely states that he does not want this other life, but that “the story of pursuit” (Lines 43-44) is all too familiar to him. Literary Devices Hayes, like a lot of his other poems, utilizes an extensive amount of enjambment in “Root.” Because the perspective of the poem is that of a young boy, the enjambment here definitely creates a casual, conversational flow. The small bits of anaphora in the poem: “we” at the beginning of lines 21, 22, and 23, & “and believed” at the beginning of lines 37 and 38 are used to create a sonic effect, emphasizing the struggle Hayes and his family had clearing his unkempt backyard, relative to the “new yard(s) boxed in light” of his neighbors’. I can connect the simile “…the mute duty that tightened my parents’ backs as if they meant to work the devil from his den” (Lines 16-18) to my own life; I recall many times in my life where working in the yard or garden was a back-breaking experience. I could really empathize with Hayes and his family in that regard. Quick Opinions: Hayes' style and language of “Root” was a very creative means of portraying how racial tensions weaved their way into the simplest facets of life. Especially in the late 20th century, microaggressions (a term coined by psychiatrist and Harvard University professor Chester M. Pierce in 1970) and other slights became a casual, complacent way to degrade socially marginalized groups, including African Americans and even women. Overall, I enjoyed the poem, and I can relate to this experience on a personal level (having lived in an “affluent” golf community as a child—and being one of the only African American families living there—I definitely remember the stares and dismissals from some neighbors). Of course, there are many other poems I have yet to read and discuss!
4 Comments
Alyssa
3/3/2017 05:55:56 am
I searched for the poem online and I was unable to find it. Where is his work published? I found it interesting from the beginning that his parents decided to act as if there was no such thing as race. I like how you noticed the shift in the poem from a seeming innocence to realization. I agree with your thoughts on the uniqueness of the poem, using nature as a way to convey his feelings.
Reply
Hi, Alyssa,
Reply
Steven
3/6/2017 08:52:12 am
Hi Ashley,
Reply
Cassidy (WV)
3/8/2017 08:02:09 am
First of all, I love that you broke your analysis up into several different sections. I think you did a very good job at understanding the main theme of the poem. My favorite thing, though, was that you included your own opinion. Great analysis!
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
What is this?
This page will house my literary analyses! Archives
March 2017
|