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A Litany for Survival. By Audre Lorde. For those of us who live at the shoreline. standing upon the constant edges of decision. crucial and alone. for those of us who cannot indulge. the passing dreams of choice. who love in doorways coming and going. in the hours between dawns.
Learn More. "Litany for Survival" was written by the American poet and civil rights activist Audre Lorde, and first published in Lorde's 1978 collection The Black Unicorn. The poem describes the constant fear that marginalized communities experience in a prejudiced society and the way such relentless fear can silence any dissenting voices.
- Stanza One
- Stanza Two
- Stanza Three
- Stanza Four
Lines 1-3
In the first stanza of this piece, the speaker begins by making a number of statements about a group of people. She includes herself in this group and does what she can throughout the four stanzas to make their particular situation clear to the listener. The first stanza contains the extended lead up to a conclusion which does not come until the end of the second stanza. She lists out features of “those of us who live at the shoreline.” These types of people are always on the “constant edges...
Lines 4-14
The refrain, “for those of us who…” repeatsagain in the fourth line. Here, the speaker says that “those of us” cannot “indulge / the passing dreams of choice.” These people do not have the luxury to consider other options for their lives. There is no time or place for dreaming. This portion of the population is then described as being those, They are existing in the margins, in a liminal stance that is not quite permanent or out in the open. Love has a place in their worlds, but it is still c...
The second stanza is shorter than the first, containing only ten lines. Here, the speaker utilizes the refrain “For those of us who…” once again. This same group is said to be “imprinted with fear.” It is a “line” that exists within their minds, central to everything they do and think. These men and women learned from a young age to be afraid of co...
In the longest stanza of the piece, the speaker returns to the idea of triumph through a description of what comes after. One might’ve survived to this point but that does not help with the “line” of fear that has always been central. It shows itself as a fear of the rising and settingsun. They are afraid of it never rising or never returning. The ...
In the final three lines, the speaker makes a decision for the entire group. If everyone is afraid of all of these contrasting emotions and situations, “it is better to speak.” They have triumphed by surviving this long and need to use this power to ensure their further survival. These marginalized men and women must remember they were “never meant...
- Female
- October 9, 1995
- Poetry Analyst And Editor
A Litany For Survival Lyrics. For those of us who live at the shoreline. standing upon the constant edges of decision. crucial and alone. for those of us who cannot indulge. the passing...
‘A Litany for Survival’ is a 1978 poem by the American poet Audre Lorde (1934-92). Lorde was a self-described ‘Black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet.’ In the poem, Lorde addresses other people who are voiceless and marginalised in society, observing that fear rules their lives but it is better to speak up and use one’s voice rather ...
by Audre Lorde. Start Free Trial. Themes. Analysis. Questions & Answers. The Poem. PDF Cite. “A Litany for Survival” is a short poem in free verse containing three dense stanzas and...
A Litany for Survival, written by Audre Lorde, is a powerful poem that has become a staple in the canon of American literature. The poem speaks to the struggles of marginalized communities and the need for resistance and resilience in the face of oppression.
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