1. Characterize the speaker of the poem. What quality of voice comes through?
Love Song: The speaker is questioning everything they’ve known. They’ve become fixed on the universe; its nature, and how to relate to it. They know that time is always marching on, and that they will come to pass just as surely as everything does. He knows, or believes that his peak is beyond him, that he’s done what he came here to do, and now he doesn’t know what to do with himself. Because of this his voice came off as listless.
Heritage: The speaker both questioning and sure at the same time. He wonders at what Africa means to him, what his heritage truly means, but he is sure that is a big part of his life. He can’t quite fathom what it’s doing to him, but he knows that it burns bright in his blood, and his restraint is constantly being challenged. He comes off as strong, but unsure.
- How is the speaker’s cultural tradition and past represented—in terms of images, language, etc? What is the relationship of the speaker of the poem to his past?
Love Song: The speaker’s past is exalted. His culture is an intellectual one, mentioning women talking of Michelangelo, perhaps in a university setting. He seems to hail from city life, possibly near the coast, based on the industrial, and sea imagery.
Heritage: His past is questionable, as he was taught the new ways of the world, but it conflicts with his heritage. Culture permeates this entire poem. Christianity is a part of his new American heritage, and countless references to the jungle and Africa remind the reader of his clashing heritages.
3. What are some technical poetic devices common to both poems? How do they differ in this respect?
Well, the rhyme schemes sure seem to be exactly the same. They both use imagery, and repetition. Personification also plays a part in both poems. Love song uses more repetition, and Heritage uses more imagery.
4. Identify any conflicts you notice between the “self” of the speaker and the various interpretations, limitations or expectations his past places on him as an individual and an artist.
Love Song: The speaker limits his future to unanswered questions because he believes his past is as good as life would get, and that he’s done his best/his part for the world. So now he wanders, questioning the point of his future.
Heritage: The speaker seems to find it hard to maintain a life as a good Christian because his heritage keeps shouting at him to become a barbarian. As far as the actual author goes, since you mentioned “artist” being African American, and competing with white poets would have been very difficult at the time.
5. Which speaker seems more like an “American self” to you? Why?
The speaker in “Love Song” seems much more like an “American self” if for no other reason than that the speaker in “Heritage” keeps questioning his heritage to Africa, what it actually means, and how it takes effort to keep the Africa in him under control.
5. Who is the intended/assumed audience for each speaker’s poem or story?
Love Song: The intended audience is…I don’t know; everybody, probably. That sounds about right. Maybe people who likewise question themselves and their futures.
Heritage: The intended audience is the black community; those who might be trying to find themselves in their peoples’ new land as well; those who question what their heritage really means. It’s also for the people who might be trying to pick up on just how good a black poet could be.
7. Comment on the ways in which each of these writers is restricted by a “single story.” In other words, what story does the reader expect to hear from the poet? How much freedom does the poet have to tell a different story of his own making?
Well, Countee Cullen was completely restricted by a black poet. They expect to read how he’s reconciling the hostilities and problems that come with that. It seems to me that T.S. Elliot would have more freedom with it, but speculation seems to be something that the public would expect.
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