AFRICAN POETRY "black woman" by leoplold s. senghor - SS1 Literature Past Questions and Answers - page 1

In the poem "Black Woman," Léopold Sédar Senghor uses a variety of poetic devices and imagery to celebrate the beauty, strength, and resilience of Black women.

One of the most prominent poetic devices that Senghor uses is personification. He compares the woman to various natural objects, such as a "field of corn," a "river of life," and a "library of ancestral knowledge." This helps to create a sense of connection between the woman and the natural world. It also suggests that the woman is a source of life, fertility, and wisdom.

Senghor also uses a number of other poetic devices in the poem, such as alliteration, assonance, and metaphor. These devices help to create a sense of rhythm and flow to the poem, and they also help to emphasize the woman's beauty and strength.

For example, in the line "Your nakedness fills my nights," the repetition of the "n" sound creates a sense of sensuality and intimacy. In the line "Your beauty, the beauty of life itself," the repetition of the "i" sound creates a sense of lightness and joy. And in the line "You are my fortress of strength," the metaphor of the woman as a fortress suggests that she is a powerful and protective figure.

In addition to poetic devices, Senghor also uses vivid imagery to celebrate the woman's beauty. He compares her skin to "velvet" and her breasts to "towers of ivory." These images help to create a strong impression on the reader and to emphasize the woman's sensuality.

Senghor also uses the symbol of the sun to represent the woman's power and life-giving force. In the first stanza of the poem, he writes, "Daughter of the sun / My night, my moon / My continent." This suggests that the woman is a source of light and life for the poet and for all of Africa.

Overall, Senghor's use of poetic devices and imagery helps to create a powerful and moving poem that celebrates the beauty, strength, and resilience of Black women.