"The Slave Mother"

Frances E. W. Harper's poem, The Slave Mother, tells a story about a slave mother and son. Through this seemingly simple plot, Harper is able to use the poetic element of imagery to convey and construct vivid images that appeal directly to the senses. The beginning of the poem starts off "Heard you that shriek? It rose So wildly on the air, It seemed as if a burden'd heart Was breaking in despair" (ln 1-4). The image of a burden'd heart stuck out to me instantly; it shows that even though the did has not been done quite yet, the anticipation is breaking her heart. Harper goes on to describe how every glance was painful, every thought of the women loosing her son was a "storm of agony", with using the image of a storm as something that is forceful and powerful. Later in the poem, Harper explains, that as a slave, "He is not hers, although she bore For him a mother's pains; He is not hers, although her blood Is coursing through her vains (ln 17-21). I believe that is one of the most powerful stanzas in the whole poem. It describes how even though the boy was has his mother's blood, she is not really his, he belongs to their master. This poem is definitely advocating for social reform; in this case, she is using heart wrenching images to emphasize her desire to keep families together, even if they are slaves. Harper's point is summed up simply in the last stanza, it states "She is a mother, and her heart Is breaking in despair" (ln 39-40). She is a mother who deserves to have her son, no matter what.