'Power In Audrey Lorde's Coal'

“Coal” by Audrey Lorde expounds on the power held by the spoken word and the labels put upon people. The narrator begins by referring to herself as the “total black”, the label that has been put upon herself, and elaborates on how those words and the others used to describe her leave a lasting effect. The narrator goes on to explain that while these words are used to put her down, the words only add to her power. Using vivid imagery and powerful metaphor the narrator states how her blackness is not to be thought of as inferiority or filthiness, but instead viewed with marvel; because coal is is a material that can provide fuel or become a diamond. But what is it about a word that can have such an impact? How can mere words that hold the power to push someone down while simultaneously being able to make them shine? Lorde uses both metaphor and enjambment to explain that while words can be used to put her down, by overcoming the power held by the words, you become a better person. Essentially, the poem explains that words and labels have an effect on you as long as you let them. Words can only be used to put you down until you accept that they are not what define you. Only you can define who you are.
The speaker begins the poem with a description of herself. The first line of the poem is has only one word, “I”. It …show more content…
Almost every line within the poem consists of some sort of metaphor relating to the lingering feelings left after certain words have been said. Once a word is said, a weight is put behind it, and regardless of the intention, you're gonna carry that weight. With this in mind, it is particularly significant that the speaker refers to the feelings after some words are uttered as, “ other words are stapled wagers/in a perforated book... the stub remains/an ill-pulled tooth/with a ragged edge.” (15-21). For a reader who is unfamiliar with what a stapled wager is,