POETRY Alice Walker-Be Nobody's darling (1970)

Alice Walker-Be Nobody's darling (1970)

Be nobody's darling; 

Be an outcast. 

Take the contradictions

Of your life

And wrap around

You like a shawl, 

To parry stones

To keep you warm. 

Watch the succumb

To madness

With ample cheer; 

Let them look askance you

And you askance no reply. 

Be an outcast; 

Be pleased to walk alone

(Uncool)

Or line the crowded

River beds

With other impetuous

Fools. 

Make a merry gathering

On the bank

Where thousands perished

For brave hurt worlds

They said.

But be nobody's darling; 

Be an outcast. 

Qualified to live

Among your dead.

This poem is encouraging the reader to be free and independent, to not care what anyone thinks and to be themselves. The use of free verse as it includes no is relevant as it is encouraging the audience to be free and playful. The use of "Take the contradictions of your life and wrap around you like a shawl" she is telling you to embrace your faults and let them make you stronger. The use of "be nobody's darling" is to encourage the audience to be themselves and independent, she doesn't want women to be put down by by men, men often call women their darling she is encouraging people to stand up and be independent. Walker suggests we become the outcasts we were born to be, we mustn't allow people to change us.

Context

This poem was written and published in the 1970s which was a time of a large feminist movement. This poem is relevant as it encourages women to be themselves, women are often labeled darling and Walker suggest that we be our own person and shouldn't be defined by any others. She was born in 1944 which was a time of female repression and women being forced into the role of a house wife. it wasn't until the 1970s where this began to change and Walker is in full support of the movement.