BY: Allayne Thomas If you have not read “salt.” by Nayyirah Waheed, it should be the first thing you do when winter break starts. It is a powerful collection with each poem carefully stitched together, crafted to both stand on its own and with all the others.
Often, while we enter school and are rushed through our education, reading for pleasure falls to the wayside. We can forget the enriching power it gives to our imagination and enjoyment. But mainly, we don’t have the time for it. However, “salt.” pairs succinctness with complex ideas. Whether you hate poetry, do not have the time, or don’t value reading, “salt.” will challenge your ideas on important topics ranging from race to self-care and love. As a Nigerian woman, Waheed draws on her own unique perspective to express a range of ideas. But mainly, it imbues a sense of self empowerment into the reader as they delve into introspection. That would be her ultimate aim, as one of her poems reads: “If I write what you may feel but cannot say. It does not make me a poet. It makes me a bridge. And I am humbled and I am grateful to assist your heart in speaking. --- grateful” Ironically, what is most powerful to note as one moves through the “salt.” collection is Waheed’s conviction to her perspective and values. Lines such as “I will crawl for white beauty” and “africa does not need your tears” are jarring in both the harshness of their language and the message they convey. A common theme is the ability of the collection to encompass a range of topics while relating it to very specific instances. This helps to make what may be an experience or opinion for her to personally connect with the different experiences of all people. I hope everyone will move to get their own copy of “salt.” and draw their own conclusion on its power. There is a poem for each person, despite race or gender. There will always be at least one that will speak to you. Every poem may not reach you, but if at least one opens you to a wider scope of the human experience, then you will be better for it.
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The Eagle's EyeBest of the Nest since 1981 Archives
January 2018
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