If You Want To Know Me,

Noemia De Souza

This is what I am
empty sockets despairing of possessing of life
a mouth torn open in an anguished wound...
a body tattooed with wounds seen and unseen
from the harsh whipstrokes of slavery
tortured and magnificent
proud and mysterious
Africa from head to foot
This is what I am

If you want to know me, by Noemia De Souza, has ruefully used literary devices. It is seen to have a mysterious and carefree title. Only after reading the poem will one realize and understand the depth of the feelings that have been expressed in the poem. That is where the power of the poem lays, in its words, images of wounds, untold stories and so on. She is seen to have written this poem in defense of the colonization of Africa and oppression. It portrays the physiological and psychological impact of colonization. It also showcases the struggle for cultural and political autonomy along with hybridity.

In the beginning of the poem, she establishes her lost identity due to colonization and uses the image of “empty sockets”. The eye is one part of the body that best expresses emotions and that very part itself is seen b devoid of its function/life. She is unable to see her past experiences and life and is now blind to it but despairs her present life. She goes on to tell us the harsh past experiences and marks that she has to live with for the rest of her life. The marks all over her body seem like tattoos that last forever leaving marks of slavery, which will always be part of her and he life no matter what. She uses language as a device to protest against slavery and gain liberation. Her usage of words like magnificent and torture together, beautiful and marred shows her resistance and only form of voicing her opinions.

 She proudly goes on to say “Africa from head and foot and this is what I am”. The colonization, slavery, all forms of violence, abuse, every single experience that she has ever gone through is what gives her identity. Even though it has distorted her life to a great extent, she still proudly believed in liberating her country and also for being an African. This powerful poem has well described and contributed to the identities of all Africans, created a bond against the hegemonic colonizer.

  -Sahana J (1214298)