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There are so many roots to the tree of anger \r\nthat sometimes the branches shatter \r\nbefore they bear.\r\nSitting in Nedicks\r\nthe women rally before they march \r\ndiscussing the problematic girls \r\nthey hire to make them free.\r\nAn almost white counterman passes\r\na waiting brother to serve them first\r\nand the ladies neither notice nor reject \r\nthe slighter pleasures of their slavery.\r\nBut I who am bound by my mirror\r\nas well as my bed \r\nsee causes in color \r\nas well as sex\r\nand sit here wondering\r\nwhich me will survive \r\nall these liberations.<\/pre>\n\u201cWho Said It Was Simple\u201d was published in Lorde\u2019s third volume of poetry, From a Land Where Other People Live <\/i>in 1973. The brief poem scrutinizes those who define themselves as feminists but continue to accept and benefit from the oppression of other groups. In it, Lorde identifies aspects of her identity that make her unable to approve of such a conditional form of feminism.<\/p>\n
This poem focuses specifically on the flawed notion of a “whites-only” feminism, addressing racial oppression through lines like, \u201cdiscussing the problematic girls \/ they hire to make them free,\u201d and \u201cthe ladies neither notice nor reject \/ the slighter pleasures of their slavery.\u201d The poem\u2019s climax, which doubles as the piece\u2019s conclusion, is a direct testament of Lorde\u2019s intersecting identities. She writes, \u201cI who am bound by my mirror \/ as well as by my bed,\u201d referencing her status as a black, homosexual woman. The final lines of the piece read, \u201cand sit here wondering \/ which me will survive \/ all these liberations.\u201d Here, Lorde employs irony skillfully, calling attention to the fact that limited liberation movements are inherently oppressive. In obliging readers to process this notion between the lines, Lorde pushes them to reflect more broadly on hypocrisy.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho Said It Was Simple\u201d is a more narrative-based piece than most included in \u201cLeaning into Lorde,\u201d especially due to its specified setting of Nedicks, a chain fast food restaurant. It conveys a \u201cpractice what you preach\u201d message to readers, encouraging them to be activists beyond organized activities like marches. Ultimately, Lorde uses this poem to emphasize that all social justice movements must be rooted in a foundation of intersectionality to be genuine and effective.<\/p>\n
Source:<\/strong> Lorde, Audre. \u201cWho Said It Was Simple.\u201d From a Land Where Other People Live. <\/em>Broadside Press, 1973.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" There are so many roots to the tree of anger that sometimes the branches shatter before they bear. Sitting in Nedicks the women rally before they march discussing the problematic girls they hire to make them free. An almost … Continue reading