Declaration

Slavery is a complex topic in poetry written by and about Black people. Contemporary poetry by Black authors tries to balance grappling with history, uplifting Black voices, and exploring the everyday topics that poets of all backgrounds enjoy. This poem chooses not to meditate on this past but reframe how we view slavery from unending passive suffering to an institution that Black people actively fought against.

There are specific glimpses of the slave trade in the last three stanzas: “—taken Captive / on the high Seas / to bear—” (Lines 15-17). While the original document limits the words Smith uses, she also chooses against repeating the violence of slavery. This allows the reader to avoid the specific trauma of the institution and interpret instead what happened in the missing spaces.

Yet, if the reader knows the historical context of the “Declaration of Independence” and the subsequent slavery question in American history, “Declaration” recalls the victims of slavery in every line. Like everyday racial politics in the United States, the reader may only see what they feel comfortable with in the poem. “Declaration” challenges each reader to learn more and read deeper.