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Sonia SanchezA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
“Remembrance” by Maya Angelou (1978)
Angelou was an active member of the Black Arts Movement. In this poem from the And Still I Rise collection, the speaker details a sexual experience that leaves her changed: “On the occasion, you press / above me, glowing, spouting / readiness, mystery rapes / my reason” (Lines 4-8). In the third stanza of “Ballad,” the speaker says the following: “I fixed my body / under his and went / to sleep in love / all trace of me / was wiped away” (Lines 17-21). In “Ballad,” the speaker also remembers an experience that has impacted her in both a memorable and an uneasy way.
“Depression” by Sonia Sanchez (1984)
This poem, also from the Homegirls and Handgrenades collection, features a similar style to “Ballad,” such as the lowercase lettering. “Depression” also has a contemplative first-person speaker, visual imagery, and alliteration (the repetition of initial consonant sounds).
“Norma” by Sonia Sanchez (1984)
This prose piece from the Homegirls and Handgrenades collection tells the story of a teenager named Sonia who admires a smart, pretty student in her high school named Norma. They connect over French class, but eventually they lose touch.
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