Analysis Of Blink Your Eyes By Sekou Sundiata
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Literary Techniques and Overall Meaning Poetry is a very important and respected type of literature, and one that covers a vast range of topics. Some of the most impressive and response-invoking poems are those that cover more sensitive topics, such as discrimination and racism. Discrimination is a topic not overwhelmingly seen in poetry, but often very interesting to read. Author Sekou Sundiata creates a prime example of this in “Blink Your Eyes.” In the poem, he speaks about racism in the law, as well as how you are treated in society depends on your skin color. The poem is not good to read only because of its subject, however. The use of repetition and symbolism in “Blink Your Eyes” adds more depth to the poem, and highlights the societal issues that the author and others of his race have felt. Use of repetition in poetry directs the reader 's attention to that word or phrase, as Sundiata does in “Blink Your Eyes.” Along with how the stanzas are formed, the repetition used sets a pace to the poem. In the first stanza, Sundiata writes “thru a red light red light red light” (Sundiata 503). The use of repetition here is smart, because the “red light” that is spoken of has two meanings and is crucial to the overall theme of the poem. Literally, the red light refers to the traffic light the narrator could have been driving through. Figuratively however, it refers to the harsh racism and discrimination that is preventing the narrator to progress in life because of his skin