Such was the season
when the flower bloomed.
In this short quotation, which is situated near the conclusion of this brief poem, the narrator comments on a particular flower that bloomed. Previously, the narrator had described the hardships of a particularly cruel winter—one which destroyed all the cotton plants and devastated the land. And yet, as the narrator notes, in the midst of all this destruction and devastation and frost, a flower bloomed. Given that this entire poem is intended to serve as a metaphor for slavery in America, it can therefore be assumed that this flower which bloomed is a metaphor for the hope that slaves maintained day after day—hardship after hardship. In this way, this quote encapsulates the idea that hope and beauty can bloom in the bleakest of times.
Brows —
recurved canoes
quivered by the ripples blown by pain […]
In this short poem, the narrator describes an old woman’s face. From this description it is clear that the woman has experienced a long, but difficult life. In this quotation, the narrator describes the woman’s brows (eyebrows). The narrator describes them as “recurved canoes” that have been “blown by pain.” This is very suggestive of the fact that this woman has lived a difficult and struggle-filled life. This quotation highlights the way that our experiences are literally written upon our features. We are shaped—both physically and emotionally—by our experiences in life. The narrator is perhaps pointing out that negative experiences take more of a toll on our physical appearance than positive experiences. In this way, we carry our difficult experiences with us forever; they are literally written into our features.
Shackles fall upon the Judgment Day
But lets not wait for it.
In this quotation—which is part of a song that slaves used to sing in the cotton fields—the narrator comments on Judgement Day. Given that this poem is spiritually-driven, this Judgement Day likely refers to the day that white slave owners would meet God at the gates and heaven and have to stand judgement for their horrible crimes. Interestingly enough, however, the following line says, “Let’s not wait for it.” This suggests that slaves were remarkably resilient. Therefore, in this quotation, the narrator essentially comments on the fact that white slave owners will one day face their judgement at the hands of God, but that there’s no point in waiting for that day because it may not come for quite some while. Rather, as the narrator points out, the slaves decided to carry on with their singing and with hopes in their hearts—consoled by the knowledge that, even if they do not live to see the day when their owners were punished for their horrible sins, it will come. In this way, this quotation highlights the resiliency and bravery of slaves for trusting in God and carrying on through their horrors and hardships.
Karintha is a woman.
Men do not know that the soul of her was a
growing thing ripened too soon.
In this quotation, the narrator comments on the fact that Karintha was forced to grow up too soon, due to the unwanted sexual advances of men much older than her. The narrator describes Karintha’s soul as a “growing thing ripened to soon.” This is in reference to the fact that men were so desperate for Karintha to grow up so that they could marry her and legally have sex with her that Karintha had no choice but to mature far too early. In this way, this quotation is a poignant commentary on the fact that women are often the objects of men’s sexual desires. From a young age, women—like Karintha—are sexualized by older men who view them as nothing more than sexual beings to be admired and used for physical purposes. As there are no laws or institutions and moral judgments in place to prevent men from preying upon young women in this way, women are forced to grow up far too early to meet the needs and carnal desires of men. Karintha is the perfect example of this terrible scenario that befalls so many women. As a result, this quotation juxtaposes the idea of a “woman” with the fact that Karintha is only a woman, as defined by the men who pursue her.
