Question

read the poem.
to a dark girl
by gwendolyn bennett
gwendolyn bennett was a dynamic figure in the harlem renaissance. she was an artist, poet, journalist, and essayist. her most well - known poem is \to a dark girl.\
i love you for your brownness,
and the rounded darkness of your breast,
i love you for the breaking sadness in your voice
and shadows where your wayward eyelids rest.
something of old forgotten queens
lurks in the lithe abandon of your walk,
and something of the shackled slave
sobs in the rhythm of your talk.
how does bennett characterize the girl in \to a dark girl\?

• the girl is described as a woman who has been beaten down and discarded.
• bennett describes the girl as a beautiful and tall woman with dark brown skin and a shy demeanor.
• the girl presents herself as a woman who, despite being enslaved, is optimistic.
• bennett portrays her as a former enslaved girl who carries herself as though she is of royal blood

Explanation:

To determine how Bennett characterizes the girl, we analyze the poem:

• "Something of old forgotten queens... Links in the lithe abandon of your walk" and "something of the shackled slave... Sobs in the rhythm of your talk" show the girl has royal (queen - like) and enslaved heritage. The option "Bennett portrays her as a former enslaved girl who carries herself as though she is of royal blood" matches this.
• The first option is incorrect as the poem doesn't depict her as beaten down/discarded.
• The second option is wrong as there's no mention of her being tall or shy.
• The third option is incorrect as the poem doesn't focus on her optimism despite enslavement.

Answer:

Bennett portrays her as a former enslaved girl who carries herself as though she is of royal blood