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Mother Gwendolyn Brooks Analysis: Unpacking a Poetic Masterpiece
Introduction:
Gwendolyn Brooks, a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, etched her name into literary history with her poignant and unflinching portrayal of the Black experience. Among her most powerful works is "The Mother," a poem that transcends its historical context to resonate with universal themes of motherhood, loss, and the agonizing weight of societal pressures. This in-depth analysis will delve into the intricacies of "The Mother," exploring its imagery, symbolism, tone, and the lasting impact of Brooks' unflinching honesty. We will examine the poem's structure, its feminist undertones, and its enduring relevance in contemporary discussions about motherhood, poverty, and the complexities of the human condition. Prepare to embark on a journey into the heart of a literary masterpiece that continues to provoke thought and inspire discussion decades after its creation.
I. The Unflinching Gaze of Motherhood: Examining the Poem's Central Theme
"The Mother" isn't a sentimental ode to motherhood; it's a stark and unflinching depiction of a mother's complex emotions after repeated abortions. Brooks doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of poverty and limited choices, presenting a mother burdened by guilt and loss. The poem's power lies in its refusal to romanticize motherhood, instead offering a raw and honest portrayal of the sacrifices and regrets that often accompany it. The speaker's detached tone, punctuated by moments of raw emotion, adds to the poem's haunting effect. The repetition of phrases like "I have killed" amplifies the weight of her actions, creating a powerful sense of guilt and irrevocable loss.
II. Symbolism and Imagery: Decoding the Poem's Subtext
Brooks masterfully employs symbolism and imagery to convey the poem's complex themes. The recurring image of the "fist" is particularly striking. This can be interpreted on multiple levels: as a symbol of the child’s potential, a representation of the mother’s own suppressed rage and frustration, or even a symbol of the violence inherent in a system that forces such difficult choices upon women. The repeated use of the word "children" also deserves attention. It emphasizes both the quantity and the unseen loss, emphasizing the overwhelming weight of the mother’s choices. The lack of specific details regarding the circumstances surrounding the abortions further contributes to the poem's universality. The anonymity allows readers to project their own interpretations and experiences onto the speaker, making the poem's impact even more profound.
III. Structure and Tone: A Masterclass in Poetic Craft
"The Mother" is characterized by its short, impactful lines and its abrupt shifts in tone. This fragmented structure mirrors the speaker’s fractured emotional state. The poem’s lack of traditional rhyme scheme further contributes to its raw and unfiltered quality. This deliberate avoidance of conventional poetic devices underscores the poem’s unconventional exploration of motherhood and its related societal complexities. The starkness of the language, the lack of embellishment, and the directness of the confession contribute to the poem’s emotional intensity, reinforcing its unsettling power.
IV. Feminist Interpretations: A Voice for the Marginalized
"The Mother" can be read through a feminist lens, highlighting the societal pressures placed upon women, especially women of color in challenging economic circumstances. The poem implicitly critiques a society that forces women into difficult choices, often without providing adequate support or resources. The lack of agency experienced by the speaker is a powerful indictment of systems that fail to adequately address the needs of marginalized communities. The poem raises questions about reproductive rights, economic inequality, and the systemic barriers that limit women's choices.
V. Enduring Relevance and Legacy:
Despite being written decades ago, "The Mother" remains remarkably relevant. The themes of unplanned pregnancies, economic hardship, and the emotional toll of abortion continue to resonate deeply with readers today. The poem’s raw honesty has solidified its place as a significant work of feminist and African American literature, prompting ongoing dialogues on complex social and ethical issues. It serves as a testament to the enduring power of poetry to capture and illuminate the human condition.
VI. A Proposed Book Outline: "Deconstructing Gwendolyn Brooks' 'The Mother'"
Introduction: A brief overview of Gwendolyn Brooks' life and work, emphasizing her significance as a Black female poet and the context surrounding the creation of "The Mother."
Chapter 1: Biographical Context: A deeper dive into Brooks' personal life and experiences that may have influenced the poem.
Chapter 2: Thematic Analysis: Detailed exploration of the major themes: motherhood, abortion, loss, societal pressures, and guilt.
Chapter 3: Literary Devices: In-depth analysis of the poem's structure, imagery, symbolism, and language.
Chapter 4: Feminist and Social Critique: Examination of the poem's feminist and socio-political implications.
Chapter 5: Critical Reception and Legacy: A survey of critical responses to "The Mother" throughout the years and its lasting impact.
Conclusion: Summary of key findings and reflections on the continuing relevance of "The Mother" in contemporary literary and social discourse.
VII. Detailed Explanation of the Book Outline Points:
Each chapter of the proposed book would expand on the points mentioned in the outline above, providing in-depth analysis, supporting evidence, and relevant critical perspectives. For example, Chapter 2 (Thematic Analysis) would meticulously dissect each theme, supporting its interpretations with textual evidence and literary analysis. Chapter 3 (Literary Devices) would go beyond the initial analysis in this blog post, conducting a detailed examination of Brooks' word choice, rhythm, and enjambment to demonstrate how these elements enhance the poem's impact. Chapter 4 would explore different feminist and critical race theory lenses to analyze the power dynamics present in the poem and connect it to larger social justice movements. Chapter 5 would contextualize the poem within broader critical discussions, engaging with existing literary criticism and offering a unique scholarly perspective.
VIII. FAQs:
1. What is the main theme of "The Mother" by Gwendolyn Brooks? The main theme explores the complex emotional landscape of motherhood following multiple abortions, highlighting the guilt, loss, and societal pressures faced by the speaker.
2. What literary devices does Brooks use in "The Mother"? Brooks employs powerful imagery, symbolism (particularly the "fist"), repetition, and a fragmented structure to convey the poem's themes effectively.
3. How does "The Mother" relate to feminist literature? The poem provides a powerful critique of societal expectations placed on women, especially regarding reproductive rights and economic limitations.
4. What is the significance of the repeated phrase "I have killed"? This phrase emphasizes the weight of the speaker's actions and the enduring guilt associated with her choices.
5. What is the poem's overall tone? The tone is characterized by a stark, unflinching honesty, oscillating between detachment and moments of raw emotion.
6. What is the significance of the poem's lack of rhyme scheme? The absence of traditional rhyme scheme emphasizes the poem's unconventional and raw emotional expression.
7. How does the poem's structure contribute to its impact? The fragmented structure mirrors the speaker’s fractured emotional state and enhances the poem's unsettling power.
8. Why is "The Mother" still relevant today? The themes of unplanned pregnancies, societal pressures, and the emotional consequences of abortion remain deeply relevant to contemporary discussions.
9. What are some key interpretations of the "fist" symbol? The "fist" can be interpreted as a symbol of the child's potential, the mother's suppressed anger, or the violence inherent in the systems that force difficult choices.
IX. Related Articles:
1. Gwendolyn Brooks' Use of Imagery: A Comparative Study: An analysis of Brooks' use of imagery across her works, comparing and contrasting different poetic techniques.
2. The Feminist Legacy of Gwendolyn Brooks: A critical examination of Brooks' contributions to feminist literature and her impact on subsequent generations of women writers.
3. The Social Commentary in Gwendolyn Brooks' Poetry: An exploration of the socio-political contexts that shaped Brooks' work and their influence on her poetic themes.
4. Analyzing the Use of Repetition in Gwendolyn Brooks' "The Mother": A focused study on the impact of repetition as a literary tool in this specific poem.
5. Comparing "The Mother" with Other Poems on Motherhood: A comparative analysis exploring how "The Mother" stands apart from other poetic treatments of motherhood.
6. Gwendolyn Brooks and the African American Literary Tradition: An analysis of Brooks' place and influence within the broader context of African American literary history.
7. The Impact of Gwendolyn Brooks' Pulitzer Prize: An examination of the significance of her Pulitzer Prize and its influence on her career and literary recognition.
8. Teaching Gwendolyn Brooks' "The Mother" in the Classroom: Practical strategies and suggestions for educators teaching this poem to students.
9. The Enduring Power of Gwendolyn Brooks' Poetry: A reflection on Brooks' lasting literary impact and her continued relevance to contemporary readers and scholars.
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: Gwendolyn Brooks Harold Bloom, 2009 Provides insight into six of Brooks' most influential works along with a short biography of the poet. |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: A Street in Bronzeville Gwendolyn Brooks, 2014-10-07 Gwendolyn Brooks was one of the most accomplished and acclaimed poets of the last century, the first black author to win the Pulitzer Prize and the first black woman to serve as poetry consultant to the Library of Congress—the forerunner of the U.S. Poet Laureate. Here, in an exclusive Library of America E-Book Classic edition, is her groundbreaking first book of poems, a searing portrait of Chicago’s South Side. “I wrote about what I saw and heard in the street,” she later said. “There was my material.” |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: Belabored Lyz Lenz, 2020-08-11 In Belabored, Lyz Lenz will make you cry in one paragraph and snort-laugh in the next (Chloe Angyal, contributing editor at MarieClaire.com). Written with a blend of wit, snark, and raw intimacy, Belabored is an impassioned and irreverent defense of the autonomy, rights, and dignity of pregnant people. Lenz shows how religious, historical, and cultural myths about pregnancy have warped the way we treat pregnant people: when our representatives enact laws criminalizing abortion and miscarriage, when doctors prioritize the health of the fetus over the life of the pregnant patient in front of them, when baristas refuse to serve visibly pregnant women caffeine. She also reflects on her own experiences of carrying her two children and seeing how the sacrifices demanded during pregnancy carry over seamlessly into the cult of motherhood, where women are expected to play the narrowly defined roles of wife and mother rather than be themselves. Belabored is an urgent call for us to trust women and let them choose what happens to their own bodies, from a writer who is on a roll (Bitch Magazine). |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: Selected Poems Gwendolyn Brooks, 2006-07-03 The classic volume by the distinguished modern poet, winner of the 1950 Pulitzer Prize, and recipient of the National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, showcases an esteemed artist's technical mastery, her warm humanity, and her compassionate and illuminating response to a complex world. |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: Maud Martha Gwendolyn Brooks, 1993 Symbolising some of the author's most provocative writing, this novel captures the essence of Black life, and recognises the beauty and strength that lies within each of us. |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: In the Mecca Gwendolyn Brooks, 1968 This was the Pulitzer Prize-winner's first new collection of poetry after a gap of nearly ten years. I was to be a Watchful Eye; a Tuned Ear; a Super-reporter, Brooks said. I began writing about whatever I thought I knew, whatever I experienced. What she knew and experienced in those years resulted in poetry charged with a new power and urgency. The book takes its title from a long narrative poem set in a huge decayed apartment house in Chicago's black ghetto, a building called the Mecca. A tragedy in the Mecca gives rise to Brooks' extraordinary poetic evocation of its dense personal miseries and sense of life. Nine shorter poems follow, and these too, in large part, have their source in contemporary figures and circumstances: Medgar Evers and Malcolm X, the Blackstone Rangers gang, the astonishing prideful mural painted on a ghetto wall one summer. The universality that transcends the immediate event, and is the mark of poetic sensibility, distinguishes all the poetry here. Gwendolyn Brooks' stature as a poet who induces almost unbearable excitement--As Phyllis McGinley described her--is here enriched by the new dimensions her work encompasses.--Adapted from book jacket. |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: Pipeline Dominique Morisseau, 2019 Nya, an inner-city public high school teacher, is committed to her students but desperate to give her only son Omari opportunities they’ll never have. When a controversial incident at his upstate private school threatens to get him expelled, Nya must confront his rage and her own choices as a parent. But will she be able to reach him before a world beyond her control pulls him away? With profound compassion and lyricism, Pipeline brings an urgent conversation powerfully to the fore. Morisseau pens a deeply moving story of a mother’s fight to give her son a future — without turning her back on the community that made him who he is. |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: Conversations with Gwendolyn Brooks Gwendolyn Brooks, 2003 A collection of interviews which help chronicle the life and career of African-American author Gwendolyn Brooks. |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: Annie Allen Gwendolyn Brooks, 1949 |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: On Gwendolyn Brooks Stephen Caldwell Wright, 2001 A reassessment of the art and achievements of the first black author to win the Pulitzer Prize |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: A Study Guide for Gwendolyn Brooks's "The Mother" Gale, Cengage Learning, 2016 |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: The Bean Eaters; Gwendolyn 1917- Brooks, 2021-09-09 This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant. |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: A Life of Gwendolyn Brooks George E. Kent, 1990 |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: Bronzeville Boys and Girls Gwendolyn Brooks, 2015-03-20 A collection of illustrated poems that reflects the experiences and feelings of African American children living in big cities. |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: Riot Gwendolyn Brooks, 1970 |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: Choice Words Annie Finch, 2020-04-07 A landmark literary anthology of poems, stories, and essays, Choice Words collects essential voices that renew our courage in the struggle to defend reproductive rights. Twenty years in the making, the book spans continents and centuries. This collection magnifies the voices of people reclaiming the sole authorship of their abortion experiences. These essays, poems, and prose are a testament to the profound political power of defying shame. Contributors include Ai, Amy Tan, Anne Sexton, Audre Lorde, Bobbie Louise Hawkins. Camonghne Felix, Carol Muske-Dukes, Diane di Prima, Dorothy Parker, Gloria Naylor, Gloria Steinem, Gwendolyn Brooks, Jean Rhys, Joyce Carol Oates, Judith Arcana, Kathy Acker, Langston Hughes, Leslie Marmon Silko, Lindy West, Lucille Clifton, Mahogany L. Browne, Margaret Atwood, Molly Peacock, Ntozake Shange, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Sharon Doubiago, Sharon Olds, Shirley Geok-lin Lim, Sholeh Wolpe, Ursula Le Guin, and Vi Khi Nao. |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: Mother to Mother Sindiwe Magona, 2022-08-23 A searing novel, told in letter form, that explores the South African legacy of apartheid through the lens of a woman whose Black son has just murdered a white woman Mother to Mother is a novel with depth, at once an emotional plea for compassion and understanding, and a sharp look at the impacts of colonialism and apartheid on South African families. Inspired by the true story of Fulbright scholar Amy Biehl's murder, the book takes the form of a letter to the victim’s mother. The murderer’s mother, Mandisa, speaks of a life marked by oppression and injustice. Through her writing, Mandisa reveals a colonized society that not only allowed but perpetuated violence against women and impoverished Black South Africans under the reign of apartheid. This book is not an apology for the murder but rather something more. It seeks to connect, through empathy and storytelling, one pained mother with another who is grief-stricken and in mourning. A beautifully written exploration of the society that bred such violence, Mother to Mother will resonate with readers interested in understanding and ending racial injustice, as well as the lasting colonial foundations of oppression. |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: Gwendolyn Brooks D. H. Melhem, 1987-01-01 This comprehensive biocritical study traces the development of Brooks's poetry over four decades, from such early works as A Street in Bronzeville and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Annie Allen to the more recent In the Mecca, Riot, and To Disembark. Lightning Print On Demand Title |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: An American Sunrise: Poems Joy Harjo, 2019-08-13 A nationally best-selling volume of wise, powerful poetry from the first Native American Poet Laureate of the United States. In this stunning collection, Joy Harjo finds blessings in the abundance of her homeland and confronts the site where the Mvskoke people, including her own ancestors, were forcibly displaced. From her memory of her mother’s death, to her beginnings in the Native rights movement, to the fresh road with her beloved, Harjo’s personal life intertwines with tribal histories to create a space for renewed beginnings. |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: Inside My Mother Ali Cobby Eckermann, 2015-07-01 ‘...an outstanding achievement that will, with its skill and elegance, deeply enrich Australian poetry and whoever reads it.’ Judges’ citation, 2013 NSW Premier’s Literary Award for Poetry. Ali Cobby Eckermann, a Yankunytjatjara/Kokatha poet, is at the forefront of Australian Indigenous poetry. Inside My Mother is both a political and personal collection, angry and tender, propelled by the need to remember, yet brimming with energy and vitality – qualities that distinguished her previous, prize-winning verse novel, Ruby Moonlight. Tributes to country, to her elders, and to the animals and spirits that inhabit the landscape, coupled with the rhythms of mourning and celebration that pulse through the poems, make this a moving and personal collection. Grief is deeply felt and vividly portrayed in poems such as ‘Inside My Mother’ and ‘Lament’. There is defiance and protest in ‘Clapsticks’ and ‘I Tell You True’. In the final section there is a marked generational shift as the elders begin to pass away and the poet as grandmother comes to accept her rightful place as matriarch. |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: Our Bodies, Ourselves for the New Century Boston Women's Health Book Collective, 1998 The definitive consumer health reference for women of all ages and ethnic groups, this book encompasses such controversial issues as managed care and the insurance industry; breast cancer treatment options; recent developments in contraception; and much more. 150 photos. Charts & graphs throughout. |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: Elegy in a Country Churchyard Thomas Gray, 1888 |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: Coal Audre Lorde, 1996 One of the earliest collections of poems by the Caribbean-American writer, poet, and activist includes The Woman Thing, Summer Oracle, and Spring People. |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: The Bermuda Triangle Jacqueline Laks Gorman, 2002 Provides an introduction to the accounts of mysterious happenings in an area of the Atlantic Ocean known as the Bermuda Triangle. |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: The Dash Linda Ellis, 2012-04-16 When your life is over, everything you did will be represented by a single dash between two dates—what will that dash mean for the people you have known and loved? As Joseph Epstein once said, “We do not choose to be born. We do not choose our parents, or the country of our birth. We do not, most of us, choose to die. . . . But within this realm of choicelessness, we do choose how we live.” And that is what The Dash is all about. Beginning with an inspiring poem by Linda Ellis titled “The Dash,” renowned author Mac Anderson then applies his own signature commentary on how the poem motivates us to make certain choices in our lives—choices to ignore the calls of selfishness and instead reach out to others, using our God-given abilities to brighten their days and lighten their loads. After all, at the end of life, how we will be remembered—whether our dash represents a full, joyous life of seeking God’s glory, or merely the space between birth and death—will be entirely up to the people we’ve left behind, the lives we’ve changed. |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: The Lion's Bride Gwen Harwood, 1981 |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: My Life Had Stood a Loaded Gun Emily Dickinson, 2016-03-03 'It's coming - the postponeless Creature' Electrifying poems of isolation, beauty, death and eternity from a reclusive genius and one of America's greatest writers. One of 46 new books in the bestselling Little Black Classics series, to celebrate the first ever Penguin Classic in 1946. Each book gives readers a taste of the Classics' huge range and diversity, with works from around the world and across the centuries - including fables, decadence, heartbreak, tall tales, satire, ghosts, battles and elephants. |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: In Memoriam Alfred Tennyson Baron Tennyson, 1850 |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: Report from Part One Gwendolyn Brooks, 1972 The author relates the events of her life to her ongoing struggle to freely express the ideas and emotions of an African-American poet |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: The Type Sarah Kay, 2016-02-09 Sarah Kay's powerful spoken word poetry performances have gone viral, with more than 10 million online views and thousands more in global live audiences. In her second single-poem volume, Kay takes readers along a lyrical road toward empowerment, exploring the promise and complicated reality of being a woman. During her spoken word poetry performances, audiences around the world have responded strongly to Sarah Kay's poem The Type. As Kay wrote in The Huffington Post: Much media attention has been paid to what it means to 'be a woman,' but often the conversation focuses on what it means to be a woman in relation to others. I believe these relationships are important. I also think it is possible to define ourselves solely as individuals... We have the power to define ourselves: by telling our own stories, in our own words, with our own voices. Never-before-published in book form, The Type is illustrated throughout and perfect for gift-giving. |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: A World of Difference Barbara Johnson, 1989 New to the paperback edition is a preface that readdresses the question of the politics of deconstruction in the context of current discussion about the life and works of Paul de Man. |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: Hope Is the Thing with Feathers Emily Dickinson, 2019-02-12 Part of a new collection of literary voices from Gibbs Smith, written by, and for, extraordinary women—to encourage, challenge, and inspire. One of American’s most distinctive poets, Emily Dickinson scorned the conventions of her day in her approach to writing, religion, and society. Hope Is the Thing with Feathers is a collection from her vast archive of poetry to inspire the writers, creatives, and leaders of today. Continue your journey in the Women’s Voices series with Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte and The Feminist Papers by Mary Wollstonecraft. |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: The Golden Shovel Anthology Terrance Hayes, 2019-06-07 “The cross-section of poets with varying poetics and styles gathered here is only one of the many admirable achievements of this volume.” —Claudia Rankine in the New York Times The Golden Shovel Anthology celebrates the life and work of poet and civil rights icon Gwendolyn Brooks through a dynamic new poetic form, the Golden Shovel, created by National Book Award–winner Terrance Hayes. An array of writers—including winners of the Pulitzer Prize, the T. S. Eliot Prize, and the National Book Award, as well as a couple of National Poets Laureate—have written poems for this exciting new anthology: Rita Dove, Billy Collins, Danez Smith, Nikki Giovanni, Sharon Olds, Tracy K. Smith, Mark Doty, Sharon Draper, Richard Powers, and Julia Glass are just a few of the contributing poets. This second edition includes Golden Shovel poems by two winners and six runners-up from an international student poetry competition judged by Nora Brooks Blakely, Gwendolyn Brooks’s daughter. The poems by these eight talented high school students add to Ms. Brooks’s legacy and contribute to the depth and breadth of this anthology. |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: frank: sonnets Diane Seuss, 2021-03-02 |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: American Sonnets for My Past and Future Assassin Terrance Hayes, 2018-06-19 Finalist for the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award in Poetry One of the New York Times Critics' Top Books of 2018 A powerful, timely, dazzling collection of sonnets from one of America's most acclaimed poets, Terrance Hayes, the National Book Award-winning author of Lighthead Sonnets that reckon with Donald Trump's America. -The New York Times In seventy poems bearing the same title, Terrance Hayes explores the meanings of American, of assassin, and of love in the sonnet form. Written during the first two hundred days of the Trump presidency, these poems are haunted by the country's past and future eras and errors, its dreams and nightmares. Inventive, compassionate, hilarious, melancholy, and bewildered--the wonders of this new collection are irreducible and stunning. |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: Primer for Blacks Gwendolyn Brooks, 1991 Brooks talks to her Black sisters and writes a short statement about the need for Black self-awareness. |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: Lycidas John Milton, 1897 |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: Winnie Gwendolyn Brooks, 1991 A group of poems dedicated to Winnie Mandela, the wife of Nelson Mandela who was the first indigenous leader to hold the office of President of the Republic of South Africa. |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: Endymion, a Poetic Romance John Keats, 1818 |
the mother gwendolyn brooks analysis: I Lost My Talk Rita Joe, 2021-02-28 Stolen Words I Am Not A Number When We Were Alone I'm Finding My Talk by Rebecca Thomas |