blackbirds singing in the dead
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Abstract
Black poets have long explored the effects of grief and tragedy through their work while also navigating the challenges of a racist American society. This manuscript delves into those themes as the poet examines how she, her family, and romantic interests operate within those strange spheres as well. She explores the unique intimacy of grief and social isolation as she shows us what it means to be a Black woman in a racist and capitalistic society. Her work reveals the pain of operating within those structures and the devastating emotional toll it can take on the Black family.