In her moving tribute to Gwendolyn Brooks, the former Poet Laureate Rita Dove describes Brooks' poems as containing "words that nourished like meat, not frosting," and praises Brooks for not being afraid to take language and "revamp it, twist it, and energize it so that it shimmied and dashed and lingered." Basing your response on the poems you have read, do you feel that Dove accurately describes what Brooks use of language? Is there something else that Brooks does with language that you feel deserves recognition?
Is this your first experience of Gwendolyn Brooks's poetry? Did you know that she wrote poetry for children? Visit this link to see a comprehensive bibliography of her work. Do you think there are certain aspects in Brooks's poetry that would make her a good poet for younger readers? What are they?
Consider the characters that Brooks presents in her poems. What do they reveal about the African-American urban experience? Is Brooks sympathetic to all the characters? Be sure to refer to specific poems in your answer.
One characteristic of Brooks's poems is great depth hidden beneath a surface of simplicity. Do a close reading of one of her poems, and explain how she achieves this effect. How does she say so much while using so few words? Consider what would be lost if Brooks "explained" her thoughts more explicitly. What is gained through subtlety and implication?
