Singing For Every Woman: The Blues
Poetry and melody go hand-in-hand whereby poetry unintentionally produces a tune of words. What began as a form of music in the late nineteenth century, the blues evolved as a form of musical expression for the African American struggles within the southern states. This form relies on the use of rhyme and repetition in order to create the tune of the flow. Composed of three lines of iambic pentameter specifically using the AAa rhyme scheme, a first line that repeats in the second line, unless slightly modified, this form creates a song. This makes repetition and the rhythm of the poem the most important component in changing the way the blues are heard and read with emphasis on phrases. In, “Any Woman’s Blues,” by Sherley Anne Williams, repetition and rhythm emphasizes the hardships of being a woman in society, and perhaps a connecting factor between all women around the world.
Williams’ repeated phrases create a depiction of the loneliness of womanhood and the reliance on themselves to get by. The first two lines repeat the phrase,
“Soft lamp shinin,
and me alone in the night” (Williams 194).
This begins the poem with the direct mention of the loneliness that accompanies her. This is the first discussion of the idea of independence, but with an association of sadness as well. This is then followed by,
“Can’t take no one beside me,
need mo’n jest some man to set me right,” (Williams 194).
Before, Williams had repeated feeling alone directly, however, now there is an introduction of the need to be independent specifically without a man in her life. This points out the notion of desiring more from life and happiness than simply a man. However, this process is still very difficult for her and for others that may experience this. Some of the ending lines repeated read,
“What’s gone can be a window,
A circle in the eye of the sun,” (Williams 194).
In this portion, there is a perspective on new opportunities for women and that their failures may become some of their opportunities in life. The window is representative of something that could bring in new positivity. She then lastly speaks a call-to-action to the women reading the poem where it rhythmically states,
“Take the circle from the world, girl,”
you find the light have gone,”(Williams 194).
This is representative of empowering women to take the world on and question society, in order to see that they can make a difference. Williams connects everything together to intertwine all women uniting as one towards the conclusion. The line reads,
“These is old blues,
and I sing em, sing em, sing sm. Just like any woman do.
My life ain’t done yet.
Naw. My song ain’t through,”(Williams 194).
Here, there is a connection to the gender of women as a whole and emotions that are relatable to all. Ending it with no true conclusion demonstrates this problem for women being a continuation and one that will hopefully be solved one day. Throughout the rhythm and repeating phrases, Williams exemplifies highlighting the universal struggles of women which unifies them and develops a sorrowful yet empowering feeling, that will hopefully lead to a resolution one day with strength.
Williams Anne, Sherley. An Exaltation of Forms: Contemporary Poets Celebrate the Diversity of Their Art. Edited by Anne Finch and Katherine Varnes. Ann Arbor: U. of Michigan P, 2002. pp. 194.
