Poem Lines

Naked woman, black woman

Clothed with your colour which is life,
with your form which is beauty!

In your shadow I have grown up; the
gentleness of your hands was laid over my eyes.

And now, high up on the sun-baked
pass, at the heart of summer, at the heart of noon,
I come upon you, my Promised Land,
And your beauty strikes me to the heart
like the flash of an eagle.

Naked woman, dark woman

Firm-fleshed ripe fruit, sombre raptures
of black wine, mouth making lyrical my mouth
Savannah stretching to clear horizons,
savannah shuddering beneath the East Wind’s
eager caresses

Carved tom-tom, taut tom-tom, muttering
under the Conqueror’s fingers

Your solemn contralto voice is the
spiritual song of the Beloved.

Naked woman, dark woman

Oil that no breath ruffles, calm oil on the
athlete’s flanks, on the flanks of the Princes of Mali
Gazelle limbed in Paradise, pearls are stars on the
night of your skin

Delights of the mind, the glinting of red
gold against your watered skin

Under the shadow of your hair, my care
is lightened by the neighbouring suns of your eyes.

Naked woman, black woman,
I sing your beauty that passes, the form
that I fix in the Eternal,

Before jealous fate turn you to ashes to
feed the roots of life.

Léopold Sédar Senghor’s poem Black Woman honors the courage, beauty, and cultural value of African women. The poet makes links between the black lady and the African scenery, customs, and ancestry while praising her as a representation of life, beauty, and spirituality.

Senghor addresses the “naked woman, black woman,” highlighting her inherent beauty and the vitality of her dark skin, at the opening of the poem. According to him, she is dressed in her shape, which is the pinnacle of beauty, and her color, which stands for life. When he thinks back on his early years, he recognizes her protective and maternal presence, which aided in his development. He compares the impact of her beauty on him to the unexpected and stunning sight of an eagle’s flash in the sky, and compares it to a “Promised Land,” a place of hope and fulfillment.

Senghor keeps praising the black woman’s beauty and bond with nature in the second verse. He likens her to deep black wine and hard, ripe fruit, which are representations of depth and richness. He is inspired to speak poetically by her presence, demonstrating how she enhances his creativity. She is also compared to the savannah, which represents her vigor and bond with the soil. She stretches indefinitely and trembles when the wind touches her. Her power and rhythm in existence are symbolized by the poet’s description of her as a tight, carved tom-tom drum that resonates profoundly under the conqueror’s hands. He emphasizes her religious significance by comparing her rich voice—which he describes as contralto—to a spiritual hymn that is full of grace and emotion.

Senghor presents the black lady as serene and elegant in the third verse. In comparison to the athletes or aristocratic warriors of Mali, her smooth, glossy skin is compared to oil, signifying her power and grace. To further illustrate her elegance and attractiveness, she is compared to a gazelle in paradise. Her exquisite and celestial beauty is further highlighted by the poet’s description of her skin being covered with pearls that resemble stars. His problems are lessened by her presence, and he finds solace and warmth in her eyes, which glow like nearby suns.

Senghor acknowledges the fleeting aspect of beauty as the poem comes to a close. Even while he sings and marvels at her timeless form, he understands that fate and time will eventually reduce her to ashes. Nevertheless, he honors her spirit and keeps it alive in his poems as a timeless homage.

Senghor links the black woman to African culture and the natural world via rich metaphors and images. She is a representation of vitality, power, and spiritual depth in addition to her physical beauty. The poem honors African origin, identity, and the classic beauty of the black woman.

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