Ecopoetics of oppression in selected poems by Rita Dove

Abstract EN

Rita Dove is one of the most prominent African American poets.

her genuine works have attracted critics and readers’ attention since the 1980 s.

throughout her long career life, Dove’s poetry covers a wide spectrum of topics pertaining to her attitude as a global citizen.

this article particularly studies a selection of poems tackling the theme of oppression.

it will explain how Dove employs nature in these poems to depict oppression from an ecopoetic lens.

it will also identify how the poet utilizes both abstract and concrete as well as natural and unnatural ecopoetics to convey how black slaves and subjugated Haitian migrants experienced oppression in the selected poems.

the article will rely on Tom Bristow and Sarah Nolan’s definitions of ecopoetics and unnatural ecopoetics respectively to illustrate the inseparability between nature, man and culture.