Maya Poems

Question 1

Country Lover:

Funky blues
Keen toed shoes
High water pants
Saddy night dance

Red soda water
and anybody’s daughter

Answer 1

Surface meaning: a couple doing a country dance

Deeper meaning: commentary on country music and black music -> celebration of blackness, of music, enjoyment, love, freedom

THESIS: Through structure and language, Angelou creates the sound of country music and comments on
the black history of the genre.

1. Structure -> quatrain, the rhymes -> TITLE analysis
2. Accent/sound -> “saddy”, “dance” -> rhythm, sibilance
3. imagery -> “keen toed shoes / high water pants” -> symbolic imagery, nature imagery, surprising imagery
   - describing their outfits -> high water pants, showing more skin, freedom

Question 2

Remembrance:

Your hands easy
weight, teasing the bees
hived in my hair, your smile at the
slope of my cheek. On the
occasion, you press
above me, glowing, spouting
readiness, mystery rapes
my reason

When you have withdrawn
your self and the magic, when
only the smell of your
love lingers between
my breasts, then, only
then, can I greedily consume
your presence.

Answer 2

SURFACE MEANING: an encounter between two lovers