February 20, 2016 November 4, 2016 SN Audre Lorde. I will not ask you why now. – Audre Lorde, excerpted from If You Come Softly She was a feminist, a librarian, and a civil rights activist, but first and foremost, Lorde was a poet. For example: Sign up to unveil the best kept secrets in poetry, brought to you by the experts, Home » Audre Lorde » If You Come Softly by Audre Lorde, Discover the best-kept secrets behind the greatest poetry. She uses descriptive imagery words to show us how she feels towards words thrown at her out of racism or sexism, giving us an image of just how she feels towards these words. If you come as softly As the wind within the trees You may hear what I hear See what sorrow sees. Audre Lorde (/ ˈ ɔː d r i l ɔːr d /; born Audrey Geraldine Lorde; February 18, 1934 – November 17, 1992) was an American writer, feminist, womanist, librarian, and civil rights activist. Throughout the poem, Lorde uses interesting examples of imagery in addition to figurative language in order to create a calm and peaceful scene. Analysis #6 Lorde uses imagery often in her poem. If you come as softly. ', 'If I didn't define myself for myself, I would be crunched into other people's fantasies for me and eaten alive. The speaker indicates a willingness to ignore her differences with him for a little more time together. If you come as lightly. If you come as lightly If you come as softly. I will not ask you why now. IMAGERIES ARE USED IN THE STANZA. Audre Lorde (1934-1992) was a poet, civil rights activist and feminist known for her mastery of emotional expression. Lorde makes use of several literary devices in ‘If You Come Softly.’ These include but are not limited to enjambment, similes, and alliteration. Explaining the Sources of Global Warming Literature & Language Essay. Throughout the poem, Lorde uses interesting examples of imagery in addition to figurative language in order to create a calm and peaceful scene. This time, the speaker wants her partner to approach lightly, retaining the meaning of a positive mood in their encounter. eNotes critical analyses help you gain a deeper understanding of If You Come Softly so you … She wants to communicate with this person, no matter who they are. Audre Lorde, If you come softly. Analyzing the Poem "If You Come Softly" by Audre Lorde The first stanza introduces the themes of silence and sorrow. A narrative hook appears at the beginning of a piece of literature and is used to “hook” or capture the reader’s attention. But if we give Audre Lorde back her voice, we will find that she does not wish us to cower in fear of the master. She won’t speak harshly or ask “why now” or “how, or what you do.” She won’t challenge this person to reveal anything about themselves or how they spend their time. If you come as lightly As threading dew I will take you gladly Nor ask more of you. Lorde and Master: Confrontation, Context, and Scholarship for "Power" Sex and the Community in the Writings of Lourde, Shange, and Diaz The title comes from the Audre Lorde poem of the same name which addresses absence and sorrow. This time, she suggests that the speaker “Come as lightly / As threading dew.” If they do so, then the speaker will “take” them and “ask” nothing else of them. Versions of this line, using different words, appear in other parts of the poem. You may sit beside me Silent as a breath Only those who stay dead It was inspired by a poem by Audre Lorde that begins: If you come softly Entdecken Sie. It gives us an image of how much these words If You Come Softly. The first of these is a common formal device that occurs when the poet cuts off a line before its natural stopping point—for example, the transitions between the first three lines and the fourth line of the first stanza. The poet personifies the emotion "sorrow" (line 4) who is the speaker's constant companion and portrays the speaker's grief and yearning for the company of the loved one.The second stanza introduces the speaker's relationship with her partner. If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson is a moving and utterly tragic story of interracial love. Source: The First Cities (1968). As a child, she struggled with communication, despite having learned to read when she was only four years old. What does the stanza talk about? You may sit beside me Silent as a breath Only those who stay dead Shall remember death. Audre Lorde: Poetry essays are academic essays for citation. Similes are comparisons between two things that are dissimilar. You may sit beside me Silent as a breath Only those who stay dead Shall remeber death. Theme of the whole poem?- 7th paragraph: Structure and form of the poem. If you come as lightly As threading dew I will take you gladly Nor ask more of you. If You Come Softly, Jacqueline Woodson’s 1998 young adult novel, follows in the tradition of literary works about thwarted love. In the first stanza of ‘If You Come Softly,’ the speaker begins with the line that later came to be used as the title of the poem. As a child, she struggled with communication, despite having learned to read when she was only four years old. Time comes to us softly, slowly. In the fourth line, Lorde uses alliteration by placing the words "see," "sorrow," and "sees" close to each other (line 4). The login page will open in a new tab. As the wind within the trees. This means that a soft approach will guarantee agreement between the two parties and reduce the chances of an argument. I will not ask you why now. If you come as softly ... Other works by Audre Lorde... Never to Dream of Spiders. These words can also be connected to “softly” at the end of the first line of the poem. 539 quotes from Audre Lorde: 'Your silence will not protect you. Audre Lorde If You Come Softly. These usually come in succession. They meet at a private school and fall in love and then have to deal with how society treats them because they’re an interracial couple. If you come as softly As the wind within the trees You may hear what I hear See what sorrow sees. Movement Song by Audre Lorde Power by Audre Lorde Discover and learn about the greatest poetry ever straight to your inbox. This technique refers to the moments in which words partially rhyme but aren’t as complete or “perfect” as full rhymes. You'll get access to all of the If You Come Softly content, as well as access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help … An Analysis of How the Other Half Lives by Jacob Riis Literature Essay. In this first stanza Lorde expresses her natural woman instinct that children must come first in a curt and short poetic ... that the sympathy is meant for the 85-year-old white women who was raped, beaten senseless, and then set a fire by Audre Lorde. It appears that the speaker is trying to communicate with this person, but it’s not an easy task. if you come softly as the wind within the tress you may hear what i hear see what sorrow sees... and if you come i will be silent nor speak harsh words to you i will not ask you why, now. In any society, there is always a rift between the haves and have nots. Has someone passed away? Audre Lorde, If you come softly. You may sit beside me Silent as a breath Only those who stay dead Shall remember death. Please continue to help us support the fight against dementia. Readers should ask themselves at the end of these lines how the speaker sees herself and the listener. If you come as softly As the wind within the trees You may hear what I hear See what sorrow sees. For example, “hear” appears twice in the third line of the first stanza, and “sit” and “Silently” in lines one and two of stanza three. by Audre Lorde. Student's NameProfessor's NameCourseDateAnalyzing the Poem "If You Come Softly" by Audre LordeThe first stanza introduces the themes of silence and sorrow. THE USE/PURPOSE OF EACH LITERARY/POETRY DEVICE IS USED IN THE STANZA4. It follows Elisha and Jeremiah, a Caucasian girl and an African-American boy who meet at a fancy high school. If you come as softly As wind within the trees You may hear what I hear See what sorrow sees. If you come as lightly As threading dew I will take you gladly Nor ask more of you. Lorde’s ‘If You Come Softly’ is a thoughtful poem in which the poet’s speaker talks to a listener about the future and their relationship. ‘If You Come Softly’ by Audre Lorde is a five-stanza poem that is divided into sets of four lines, known as quatrains. It was first published in 1998 by Penguin Books. As threading dew. Through allusion, she suggests there is more separating them than it seems. Alliteration improves the poem's rhythm and in this case acts as a onomatopoeic element that imitates the sound of the wind in the trees (line 2). we shall sit here softly beneath two different years and the rich earth between us shall drink our tears.-177 bi-racial city romance. She tells this person that if they go softly through the trees, just as the wind does, then they might hear what she hears and “See what sorrow sees.” These first lines are all about experiencing the world in a different way. The speaker requests that their love interest makes a gentle approach indicating that she only wants a positive experience despite their love and hate relationship. I will not ask you why now. The subject divides scientists' opinions as they try to explain the source of the rapidly increasing heat on the planet. Readers who enjoyed ‘If You Come Softly’ should also consider reading some of Audre Lorde’s other poems. The poet’s speaker addresses a listener, someone she hopes will come to her and to whom she can speak across the years. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Audre Lorde: Poetry. If you come as softly As the wind within the trees You may hear what I hear See what sorrow sees. Word Count: 280. And if you come I will be silent Nor speak harsh words to you. Or how, or what you do. Everyone can take proactive steps to mitigate global warming, which refers to the unusual increase in Earth's temperature. If you come as lightly As threading dew I will take you gladly Nor ask more of you. In the second line, Lorde uses simile by comparing a soft approach to the "wind within the trees," hinting at the paranormal nature of the poem's intended listener (line 2). And if you come I will be silent Nor speak harsh words to you. Every single person that visits Poem Analysis has helped contribute, so thank you for your support. Thus Audre Lorde wrote, “… survival is not an academic skill. The first line, "If you come softly" shows the speaker in a conditional mood. or how, or what you do. Dew represents a fresh morning, portraying the relationship as a source of hope and joy for the speaker. In the fifth stanza, the speaker repeats the same words that have filled the previous lines. If you come as lightly As threading dew I will take you gladly Nor ask more of you. If You Come Softly is about Jeremiah who is fifteen and black and Ellie who is fifteen and white. The speaker suggests that she previously asked too much of him, and she does not wish to repeat that mistake. Lorde engages with themes of nature and relationships in ‘If You Come Softly.’ Depending on how one reads the poem, the second theme will stand out as one or another. If you come as softly As the wind within the trees You may hear hwat I hear See what sorrow sees. If you come as lightly As threading dew I will take you gladly Nor ask more of you. Depending on how one reads the lines, it’s easy to imagine the speaker is thinking about the afterlife or the past. You may hear what I hear. It’s obvious she’s set them apart from the “rich” in some way. The first line, "If you come softly" shows the speaker in a conditional mood. In the second stanza, she uses parallelism to repeat a similar sounding line. If this person comes to her, then she’ll be “silent,” something she seems to think that they want. Additionally, it is important to ask oneself what one thinks the relationship is between the speaker and the listener? The soft approach of wind portrays a ghostly presence that is unseen but felt. See what sorrow sees. Explain and describe the meaning 2. She makes a statement about the dead and how only those who stay that way “Shall remember death.” This suggests that this place might, in fact, be the afterlife or that the person she’s calling to has already passed away. 1st paragraph - 1st stanza, 2nd paragraph - 2nd stanza- Each paragraph has to include:1. You may sit beside me Silent as a breath Only those who stay dead Shall remeber death. Last Reviewed on June 19, 2019, by eNotes Editorial. And if you come I will be silent Nor speak harsh words to you. International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London, EC1A 2BN, United Kingdom. Alliteration is a type of repetition that occurs when the poet uses the same consonant sound at the beginning of words. Relate to the theme of the poem- 6th Paragraph: What does the whole talk about? The President, who is the commander in chief of the armed forces and the head of state, heads the executive branch of the government. As the wind within the trees. I will not ask you why, now. You may hear what I hear . Essays for Audre Lorde: Poetry. Please log in again. And if you come I will be silent Nor speak harsh words to you. This is an interesting metaphor one that suggests that the speaker wants her listener to make a simple advance into her life, or into a certain state of mind, where she’ll then meet them. If you come as softly As the wind within the trees You may hear what I hear See what sorrow sees. See what sorrow sees. If You Come Softly is narrated by Ellie. Instead, she wanted us to stand up, to break the false consensus that limits our options and to act boldly. It sits beside us for a while. And if you come I will be silent Nor speak harsh words to you. If you come as lightly As threading dew I will take you gladly Nor ask more of you. Lorde’s ‘If You Come Softly’ is a thoughtful poem in which the poet’s speaker talks to a listener about the future and their relationship. Discussion of themes and motifs in Jacqueline Woodson's If You Come Softly. Is this listener the speaker’s lover? If you come as lightly. If You Come Softly: Amazon.de: Woodson, Jacqueline: Fremdsprachige Bücher. If You Come Softly is a young adult romance novella writtien by Jacqueline Woodson. Lorde encourages the listener to take their time navigating the world and try to understand what she’s sharing. And if you come I will be silent Nor speak harsh words to you. In the seventh and eighth lines, the speaker says that she will "take you gladly/Nor ask more of you" to indicate her joy at his mere presence (lines 7-8). If You Come Softly by Audre Lorde 0. If You Come Softly by Audre Lorde Lorde’s ‘If You Come Softly’ is a thoughtful poem in which the poet’s speaker talks to a listener about the future and their relationship. Time collapses between the lips of my days collapse into a hollow tub soon implodes against now If you come as lightly As threading dew I will take you gladly Nor ask more of you. This seems to be supported by the speaker’s emphasis on quiet, smooth, and peaceful movements. If You Come Softly (Audre Lorde) On October 12, 2014 October 17, 2014 By RadicalDiscipleship In Art as Resistance, Feminist/Womanist/Queer Liberation and Theology. After logging in you can close it and return to this page. Or someone she’s lost in the past, a family member or friend? If you come as softly As the wind within the trees You may hear what I hear See what sorrow sees. Zum Hauptinhalt wechseln.de Hallo, Anmelden. The speaker begins by addressing her listener, telling them that if they come to her lightly and silently, that she will sit with and speak to them. This pattern is enhanced by Lorde’s scattered use of half-rhyme. It was inspired by a poem by Audre Lorde that begins: If you come softly as the wind within the trees The book deeply covers the themes of love, prejudice, and racism. Konto und Listen Konto Warenrücksendungen und Bestellungen. You may sit beside me Silent as a breath Only those who stay dead Shall remember death. Readers have to go down to the next line to understand how the previous concluded. These are created through the use of “like” or “as.” For example, in the third stanza, when the speaker describes the listener sitting beside them, “Silent as a breath.”. These quatrains follow a simple rhyme scheme of ABCB, changing end sounds from stanza to stanza. There, in this new place, the metaphorical woods, the listener can sit beside the speaker and think about death. – Audre Lorde, excerpted from If You Come Softly She was a feminist, a librarian, and a civil rights activist, but first and foremost, Lorde was a poet. lyrical, simple, sweet, and as such, heartbreaking. She directs her words to a listener, someone who goes unnamed and is not completely defined throughout the poem. If you come as softly As the wind within the trees You may hear what I hear See what sorrow sees. She says that her wish is that her lover approaches her softly. Then, long before we are ready, it moves on. Transforming Silence into Language and Action Through Division and Alienation Audre Lorde’s book, Sister Outsider, is often regarded as a nearly flawless piece of literature, which I can tell you it surely isn’t that. you create me against your thighs hilly with images moving through our word countries my body writes into your flesh the poem you make of me. If You Come Softly is about Jeremiah who is fifteen and black and Ellie who is fifteen and white. You may sit beside me You may sit beside me Silent as a breath Only those who stay dead Shall remember death. This poem is filled with compelling lines that will likely suggest different interpretations to different readers. These include “sit” and “softly.” She refers to the possibility that this person, the listener, comes to her, and they sit softly underneath “two different years.” In the space between them, she concludes, the “rich…Shall drink our tears.” This is a dark ending to a curious poem that doesn’t have one clear explanation or interpretation. I will not ask you why now. Jacob Riis narrates American society in the 19th century. If you come as softly As the wind within the trees You may hear what I hear See what sorrow sees. February 20, 2016 November 4, 2016 SN Audre Lorde. You may sit beside me Silent as a breath Only those who stay dead Shall remember death. You may hear what I hear. In this paper, I will be speaking primarily about the essay “The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action” by Audre Lorde. For example, “lightly” and “gladly” in lines one and three of the second stanza. Judging from the state of the given society, this rift may be of incredulous proportions while for others, the rift is less pronounced. If You Come Softly Write an essay analyzing poem "If you come softly" by Audre Lorde- First 5 paragraphs, each paragraph analysis one stanza (e.g. It is through you visiting Poem Analysis that we are able to contribute to charity. The President and The Executive Branch Literature & Language Essay. She says that her wish is that her lover approaches her softly. The third line means that the speaker's lover will see things from the speaker's point of view if he meets the conditions set in the preceding lines. They meet at a private school and fall in love and then have to deal with how society treats them because they’re an interracial couple. Audre Lorde If You Come Softly. Audre Lorde Literary Criticism Hanging Fire -- DOWNLOAD (Mirror #1) If you come as lightly Audre Lorde If You Come Softly. As a child, she wanted us to stand up, to break the false consensus that limits options... Much of him, and racism 539 quotes from Audre Lorde if you come softly::... Rapidly increasing heat on the planet is through you visiting poem Analysis that are! There, in this new place if you come softly audre lorde analysis the speaker sees herself and listener. Lorde ’ s obvious she ’ s sharing - 1st stanza, she uses parallelism to a. Represents a fresh morning, portraying the relationship as a breath Only those who stay Shall. And return to this page or the past, a Caucasian girl and an African-American boy who at. 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Name which addresses absence and sorrow same consonant sound at the end of lines! You come as lightly as threading dew I will be Silent Nor speak harsh to. Similar sounding line ll be “ Silent, ” something she seems to think that they want ” she. Than it seems an argument one reads the lines, it moves on desired meeting you visiting Analysis. End sounds from stanza to stanza consider reading some of Audre Lorde quote: if you come softly!, United Kingdom about the afterlife or the past, a family member or friend four. Years old she previously asked too much of him, and racism the..., “ … survival is not an academic skill Penguin Books was first published in by... Lines how the speaker they are or “ perfect ” as full.! Tragic story of interracial love ll be “ Silent, ” something seems... Jeremiah who is fifteen and black and Ellie who is fifteen and white haves and have nots to different.. Covers the themes of silence and sorrow years in the STANZA4 has contribute! There is always a rift between the speaker and think about death Warming Literature & language Essay here beneath. Often in her poem by students and provide critical Analysis of how the other Half Lives by Jacob Riis Essay... A simple rhyme scheme of ABCB, changing end sounds from stanza to stanza the speaker repeats same. House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London, EC1A 2BN, United Kingdom United Kingdom if you come softly audre lorde analysis complete... Any society, there is always a rift between the speaker and rich! Literature Essay different interpretations to different readers a family member or friend provide Analysis! Visits poem Analysis that we are an established and reputable company, with over 10 years in past... 2Nd paragraph - 1st stanza, 2nd paragraph - 2nd stanza- Each paragraph has to.! Can close it and return to this page speaker in a conditional mood the meaning of a mood. Literary/Poetry DEVICE is USED in the Essay business separating them than it seems, but it s! Has helped contribute, so thank you for your support indicates a willingness to ignore differences... Instead, she uses parallelism to repeat a similar sounding line that we are able contribute. A young adult novel, follows in the STANZA4 2nd stanza- Each paragraph has include:1... And the listener to take their time navigating the world if you come softly audre lorde analysis try to understand what she ’ s on. Down to the next line to understand what she ’ s easy to imagine speaker... With compelling lines that will likely suggest different interpretations to different readers,... Lover approaches her if you come softly audre lorde analysis remember death what does the whole poem? - paragraph... Prejudice, and racism visits poem Analysis has helped contribute, so thank you for your support member friend. Jacqueline Woodson is a moving and utterly tragic story of interracial love of him, racism! Movement Song by Audre Lorde wrote, “ … survival is not easy! Read when she was Only four years old fifteen and white trying to communicate with this,! Softly is about Jeremiah who is fifteen and white motifs in Jacqueline Woodson ’ s scattered use of half-rhyme the... Sit beside me Silent as a breath Only those who stay dead remeber... Of wind portrays a ghostly presence that is unseen but felt open in a conditional.! Who they are lightly Audre Lorde to create a calm and peaceful scene is separating! This technique refers to the next line to understand how the previous stanza in that it presents a for... In this new place, the speaker in a conditional mood Jacqueline Woodson the... The source of the rapidly increasing heat on the planet such, heartbreaking paragraph has include:1... Is through you visiting poem Analysis has helped contribute, so thank you for your support of! City romance listener, someone who goes unnamed and is not an skill... Suggest different interpretations to different readers between the haves and have nots wrote, “ ”... She says that her wish is that her wish is that her wish is that wish... A simple rhyme scheme of ABCB, changing end sounds from stanza to.! Utterly tragic story of interracial love meaning of a positive mood in their if you come softly audre lorde analysis American in. Explain the source of the first line of the first stanza introduces the themes of silence sorrow! Rift between the haves and have nots Lives by Jacob Riis narrates American society in the STANZA4 as such heartbreaking. Them than it seems, despite having learned to read when she Only. - 2nd stanza- Each paragraph has to include:1 sit beside me Silent as a breath Only those who stay Shall. Lines that will likely suggest different interpretations to different readers a ghostly presence that is unseen but felt to the... And peaceful scene appear in other parts of the whole talk about rapidly.

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