Poem about My Rights

“Who Said it Was Simple” by Audre Lorde (1973)

A contemporary of June Jordan, Audre Lorde is a renowned theorist and author who directly critiqued American society (and beyond) in her essays and poetry. In “Who Said it Was Simple,” Lorde addresses the intersection of her identity as a Black woman and how this excludes her from white women’s efforts towards changing society. Like June Jordan’s “Poem About My Rights,” this piece by Lorde is written in the first person, yet draws broad, powerful conclusions about racism and sexism in American society.

“Where Will You Be?” by Pat Parker (1978)

A Black lesbian poet of the 1970s, Parker’s poetry is an important parallel to June Jordan’s. “Where Will You Be?” is both illustrative of Parker’s poetic voice and reflects themes also found in “Poem About My Rights.” Through the repetitive, structured piece, Parker describes how “the crusade has begun” (Line 4) and demands the reader locate where they might be when those “defined as opposite” (Line 53) are under attack.

“Headfirst” by Ocean Vuong (2016)

This piece by Ocean Vuong questions how family heritage, trauma, and violence are all linked in the survival of a child.