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Poetry Is Not A Luxury By Audre Lorde

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Poetry Is Not a Luxury is authored by New Yorker, Audre Lorde. Audre Lorde was a groundbreaking writer, activist, and feminist whose work explored the intersections of race, gender, sexuality, and class. She believed that personal and political empowerment were deeply interconnected, and that art and creativity could be powerful tools for social change. Lorde's writing was deeply personal, speaking to the experiences of marginalized groups and urging them to resist oppression and fight for their rights. Her famous quote "your silence will not protect you" speaks to the importance of speaking out against injustice and oppression, even when it feels risky or uncomfortable. Lorde's legacy continues to inspire activists and artists today, as she remains a powerful voice for social justice and equality. Lorde explains why poetry is a necessity to women and what being a woman truly means, especially as a black woman herself. She claims that finding your voice is a means of understanding oneself and reinvigorating old ideas in an emotion-rich light. Audre Lorde's points that women must recognize the importance of …show more content…

She believes that women must recognize and celebrate the differences among themselves, including differences in race, class, sexuality, and ability. By doing so, they can build solidarity and create a movement that recognizes the importance of intersectionality. Audre Lorde used the metaphor of light in her writing and speeches to illustrate the importance of acknowledging and valuing diversity. She believed that just as different colors of light combine to create a spectrum, the diverse experiences and perspectives of individuals should be recognized and celebrated to create a richer and more inclusive society. Lorde also spoke about the power of embracing darkness and shadow, which can often be ignored or marginalized in favor of more "positive" aspects of

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In “Poetry is not a Luxury” by Audre Lorde, Lorde wrote about how poetry is a powerful tool and when people use it, poetry can change the world. She says that poetry is a way that people can give “name to the nameless”. However, the author claims that for women, poetry is not a luxury, this is because women are marginalized and labeled by society, but poetry can be used to express strong emotions and oppression, and to be used as a weapon to express protest the labels that have been placed on women by society. In the poem Lorde wrote,” For women, then, poetry is not a luxury. It is a vital necessity of our existence.

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Lorde's narrative is fragmented, moving back and forth through time and space as she reflects on her own history and the histories of her community.

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Lorde also mentions that during her early life, she grew up with two other sisters, who were of a lighter skin compared to Lorde’s, which was “darker,” (Lorde 149). Lorde explains that she was jealous of her sisters because, “my mother thought they were such good girls, whereas I was bad, always in trouble,” (Lorde 149). Lorde also states that one of her sisters did not want her as a sister, “I have never gotten over the anger that you did not want me as a sister,” (Lorde 155). There is hatred and anger rooted to Lorde’s jealousy regarding the normative race. It is a sort of antipathy that not only occurs in a family but between complete strangers.

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