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Bread

The poem 'Bread' by Kamau Brathwaite explores the complex relationship between life, sustenance, and cultural identity through the metaphor of bread. It reflects on the struggles of the marginalized, the connection to the earth, and the sacrifices made for survival. The imagery evokes a sense of longing and the harsh realities faced by those in search of hope and fulfillment.

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Tina Thomas
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92 views2 pages

Bread

The poem 'Bread' by Kamau Brathwaite explores the complex relationship between life, sustenance, and cultural identity through the metaphor of bread. It reflects on the struggles of the marginalized, the connection to the earth, and the sacrifices made for survival. The imagery evokes a sense of longing and the harsh realities faced by those in search of hope and fulfillment.

Uploaded by

Tina Thomas
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Bread

BY KAMAU BRATHWAITE

Slowly the white dream wrestle(s) to life


hands shaping the salt and the foreign cornfields
the cold flesh kneaded by fingers
is ready for the charcoal for the black wife

of heat the years of green sleeping in the volcano.


the dream becomes tougher. settling into its shape
like a bullfrog. suns rise and electrons
touch it. walls melt into brown. moving to crisp and crackle

breathing edge of the knife of the oven.


noise of the shop. noise of the farmer. market.
on this slab of lord. on this table w/ its oil-skin cloth
on this altar of the bone. this sacrifice

of isaac. warm dead. warm merchandise. more than worn merchandise


life
itself. the dream of the soil itself
flesh of the god you break. peace to your lips. strife

of the multitudes who howl all day for its saviour


who need its crumbs as fish. flickering through their green element
need a wide glassy wisdom
to keep their groans alive
and this loaf here. life
now halted. more and more water add-
itive. the dream less clear. the soil more distant
its prayer of table. bless of lips. more hard to reach w/ penn-

ies. the knife


that should have cut it. the hands that should have broken open its victory
of crusts at your throat. balaam watching w/ red leak
-ing eyes. the rats

finding only this young empty husk


sharp-
ening their ratchets. your wife
going out on the streets. searching searching

her feet tapping. the lights of the motor-


cars watching watching round-
ing the shape of her girdle. her back naked

rolled into night into night w/out morning


rolled into dead into dead w/out vision
rolled into life into life w/out dream

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