Ballad

“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.