Today I was able to finish I Can’t Talk About The Trees Without The Blood by Tiana Clark. The sections included consist of 1.) I Can’t Talk 2.) About The Trees 3.) Without The Blood. Throughout the final sections of this collection she discusses topics surrounding issues with her father, black pain, slavery, womanhood and, as previously mentioned in my last post, being a black woman and the black experience. I think that it is really interesting how she is able to incorporate moments of history. Her history and historic events that have had an impact. The way that she is able to switch between the two opens up a realm of possibilities for me and my own poems. Clark is able to discuss the ways that her history interacts with the events that came before us. Slavey is a part of history, but still has real impacts today. She is able to put herself into conversation with historical figures, take on their perspective in a way that relates to her and also readers.
It’s not enough for you to be young,
gifted, black and angry
or write a few poems about the body.
The body. The body. The body…
she says, mocking me with her hands,
then points her diaphanous finger in my face—
You have to stay mad
your whole damn life.
— “The Rime of Nina Simone”
I also found it interesting that she uses quotes before each of her different sections. During an interview with 30North, Clark says that these quotes help her to set the tone for the poems that she is writing. The quotes set a theme. How do we want readers to interpret our work? She is also able to sort them based on the context of the quote. Before her poem “The Rime of Nina Simone” she uses a quote by Kevin Young that reads, “What the ghost wants is not always obvious”. This is able to set the tone for the poem, but also after reading it is able to give more context or even have the reader search for more.
I really enjoyed the way that majority of these poems seem to be serving the purpose of discovery. Discovery about history and one’s history. Discovery about the self and what strength and weaknesses we may have. Where do our limits begin and how far are we able to push ourselves past our boundaries to create something we never thought we could have. I believe that the biggest question that I have for myself at this moment is how far is too far or how much is too much especially since I am presenting these poems in primarily white spaces. The answer to that question, of course, is that it is never too far or too much and that the sense of uncomfortableness is needed. I think that it is me who is uncomfortable instead or maybe even scared of not being heard (?) or backlash (?). These are the things that I am working through and towards within my own poems. Clark discusses how she is able to now be unapologetic in taking up space and saying things that need to be said. I hope through this process that I can gain a little bit of this confidence as well and never let it go.