The poem "I Lost My Talk" by Rita Joe resonated with me more than the poem "You Are Love(d)" by Erica Violet Lee due to the fact that I find that there is a much more powerful and personal exploration of colonization, identity loss, and resilience with the strong usage of specific imagery, anaphora and contrast.
While the poem by Erica Violet Lee is an uplifting and powerful text that concludes self-love and specific feminism mention, the usage of "we're" makes it feel broad resulting in having difficulty relating to the text on a personal level. Although, the poem by Rita Joe goes in the opposite direction which is a more personal and specific way with the usage of "I", the text is still more open to other types of losses compared to the other poem, which we are better able to relate word-to-word with the text, including, self-love, identity or our own heritage loss.
Rita Joe's poem "I Lost My Talk" directly addresses the losses that the Indigenous children endured while attending residential schools as they were obligated to mature and adjust to the Western culture; these losses include the loss of their identity, voice, and culture. "I speak like you, I think like you, I create like you". This quote is a perfect example and while the lines are so simple, short and direct, it is so powerful and says a lot of what the children had to endure.
Additionally, this poem feels more comfortable and relatable because it employs simple language rather than formal poetry vocabulary. Furthermore, the use of Anaphora, "I", is simple and one word but it causes a lot of emotions and empathy. It is used repeatedly in each stanza highlighting the emotional and personal element that has been brought into this poem. The author's personal struggle with her identity and the stolen speech are also emphasized. Line breaks and spacing are also used to order the words and sentences in this poem which is another reason this poem was chosen over the other; And due to the fact that this poem is formatted this way, it creates a pause that emphasizes particular phrases and emotions that have been presented to the reader. Which also reflects the speaker's broken sense of self and identity.
"Two ways I talk. Both ways I say, Your way is more powerful." This text effectively demonstrates the way in which I and other readers can have a more specific relation to this poem than the other poem. Several people have journeyed to a foreign country, which has a distinct culture, language, and traditions. The term "two-way" clarifies how most of us feel in a foreign country, distanced from our culture. In addition, "Your way is more powerful" demonstrates the imposition and the power the foreign country and people have over our heritage.
"So gently I offer my hand and ask, Let me find my talk So I can teach you about me." This text demonstrates a new approach. Instead of talking with hate and enviousness, she shows resilience by offering peace and reconciliation. This way of writing shows a deeper kind of strength, as the speaker tries to heal from the past and what they did to her by bringing offering forgiveness and peace.
In conclusion, Rita Joe's poem "I Lost My Talk" resonated more deeply due to its powerful exploration of identity loss and resilience through a personal lens. Comparison to the other poem, "You Are Love(d)" by Erica Violet Lee, this poem offers a very broad perspective, and a very general viewpoint rather than a more in-depth analysis of colonialism's themes compared to the chosen poem.
