"Black Beauty and Resilience in Senghor's Poetry"

It is of no mystery that the Black culture consists of an endurance of social suffering. But amidst it all, the people have managed to maintain a sense of appreciation of its natural bliss that entails not only it aesthetic appeal but its livelihood as a culture. One particular poet, Leopold Sedar Senghor truly encapsulates blackness and African heritage through his work. Born and raised in Senegal- a land of natural beauty but one that is no stranger to pain and suffering either, he generously shares a variety of vivid images that portray the black culture in a metaphoric, realistic, and literal manner. Furthermore, Senghor encourages self-embracement and cultural mutualism by praising resilience and black beauty throughout his poetry.

From the very beginning, Africans have always instilled the idea of self-love in its people. This is a type of love that extends beyond appreciating what has been physically bestowed upon a people. The type of self-love that rules the Black culture is on that teaches its people how to face, how to endure, and to recognize the value of struggles, taking note of things to help in the future. "And I had no dead to honor...You who have always refused to die...Guard my dreams as you did your thin-legged migrant sons." Reflecting back to a time of extreme cultures' history while fighting to retain the hope despite dealing with the strains of being out  and put down. While the European race so often scrutinized and tortured the Black African people people, they, more often than not, found themselves entangled in affairs with this "inferior" group. Whether it was the result of secretive and consensual love or secretive and forced lust, many children were not only born out wedlock, but were also the product of white men who engaged with black women. The poem, "Totem" addresses this multiculturalism and how mixed individuals had to hid their true identity in order to not "burst the dam of scandal". This regular occurrence shows that Back had the power to be resilient and overlook adversity. The poem, "Snow in Paris", reiterates this concept of endurance. In a most symbolically calm and relieved manner, Senghor says, "Lord, you have offered the snow of your Peace to a torn world" and "I forget...the firm hands that led me to loneliness and hate". Having gone through and survived many decades of maltreatment, it proves that its people had an unavoidable hod on others (more specifically, the whiles who invaded "the Motherland")- perhaps the effect of an intrinsic beauty untouched by any other.

In order to truly capture the essence of this beautiful people, Senghor takes two different approaches. First, he addresses natural beauty, such as that described in "Black Woman". Senghor emphasizes purity by praising the "naked woman...dressed in your color that is life." From her voice to the light in her eyes, this type of woman's beauty is well worthy of attention "before jealous Fate reduces [her] to ashes to nourish the roots of life." This ending indicates a chance that such purity and naturalness will continue to blossom in the generations of women to come. In contrast to the praised and hope displayed in the poem, "Black Woman", Senghor attacks the counterpart of such perfection by writing "to New York". Initially taken aback by the beauty of its "huge, long-legged, golden girls", it isn't long before he begins to miss the simplicity and the comforts of home. "No mother's breast, but nylon legs...no tender word...only artificial hearts." This line suggests that the artificiality of the western world's culture versus that of Senegal, Senghor's home, is not natural and is not as desirable. There is comfort, however, in Harlem where Blacks move, sang, and apparently, lived freely. The many uplifting references made to body and to nature are indicative of the idea that which Senghor treasures. "Hips rippling like silk...ballets of water lilies" moving magically "to your heart beating to the rhythm of blood"- he advises his people to keep moving, or dancing, as it is evident of the Black-African culture rooted deeply within. Part three of this poem implies that Black should be encouraged to display freely the depth and richness of its culture, thus New York should allow the Black culture to thrive within its boundaries and beautify it with it naturalness.

One could define "resilience" as the ability to endure, fight, and recover from years of pain and suffering. And, Senghor further shows us the beauty of Black culture beyond physical aesthetics. What we find by reading this collection of poetry is that the black culture is overflowing with a history of struggles; however, it is clear that these struggles have helped to create a strong group of people who have taken these same hardships and continued to blossom. As if to prove that it is more to the black culture than the forced westernization, Senghor reiterates the idea of self-appreciation. Being a part of culture that has endured much and has still retained a major sense of its cultural individuality (or has displayed a strong sense of resilience), more than enough reason to continually praise its originality, simplicity, and naturalness which is beauty.