Summary Of Dolores Kendrick's 'Leah In Freedom'

For many centuries, poetry has been at the center of communication and expression. Poetry has progressed, and styles have changed. However, there are some concepts in poetry that have not been transformed; every single poem contains a theme that readers can analyze. Authors will use different methods to make sure that their themes are understood. For example, authors could use a variety of imagery, repetition, structure, and history to achieve their theme. One author who exhaustively uses devices to reach her goal is Dolores Kendrick. Kendrick’s renown book of poetry, The Women of Plums: Poems in the Voices of Slave Women, contains a multitude of poems that encapsulate exactly how it felt to be a woman and a slave. Each poem is written by Kendrick and incorporates a different theme. One specific poem from the book, “Leah: in Freedom,” allows readers to experience the struggles of constant escapes and captures. In “Leah: in Freedom,” Kendrick uses basic concepts—imagery, structure, and historical accuracy—to achieve her message of never giving up, even in the hardest of circumstances. Throughout “Leah: in Freedom,” Kendrick uses imagery to enhance the understanding of her theme. In the poem, Kendrick utilizes vivid imagery to show both the chases and the punishments. At the beginning of the poem, Leah attempts her first try at running away: “in moles’ holes and wolves’ caves and blackberry patches with my feet skiddin’ and bleedin’ on the thorns” (Kendrick lines 10-14).