Prof. Jessica Penner | OL05 | Fall 2020

Mamadou Diallo Tsunami Rising

I really like Chin’s poem. I like anything that carries the passion of the author because it brings out the purest thoughts of a person. In Tsunami Rising, Chin’s anger is present throughout the whole thing, but through that we also see her worry for her daughter, making sure to inform her of all parts of her body properly at a young age and let her know it is no one’s property but her owns, and her sadness that even though black women stand up for everyone else, they are looked down on and hurt by every community they aid.

6 Comments

  1. Jozelyn

    Hi Mamadou, I agree that there was anger throughout this poem. You can see it in the poet’s voice and choice of words. However, I feel like there is a sense of empowerment in this anger, saying she is strong and every Black woman is strong.

  2. Angelica Salazar

    Hi Mamadou, I agree with you, Chin brings up many factual and racial issues that black women have experienced and have been ignored. I also caught on onto the part when she mentions her daughter and informs her that if she felt uncomfortable or she was being touched to use her mouth and scream, that she would always believe her daughter. Chin saying this shows that she will not be silent about others causing pain to black women.

  3. Amna Ahmed

    Hi Mamadou, i agree that it’s important for an author to show their passion when presenting their work. It creates a better experience for the reader. Chin’s raw passion made me feel angry at how black women are treated within our society.

  4. Dylan

    Hey Mamadou, Chin’s passion was clearly shown in this poem. Her use of curses and dark descriptions about what black women in America face make her stance obvious. I felt it even more when she performed it, using her voice and body language to bring the poem to life.

  5. Parikshit Thapa

    HI Mamadou,
    I completely agree with what you said about the poet talks about it, shows that she has been storing all these feelings inside her for a long time. The poet was so courageous and bold and how the poet was able to speak openly without any hesitation or being scared of anyone.

  6. Saja Musa

    Hello Mamadou, great response. I too felt upset to learn the sad reality of a mother having to inform her daughter how to protect her body. This reality saddens me because the issue of women sexual assaults is overlooked in society. Because awareness of this issue is not prevalent, many women are left to feel desperate and deal with the emotional consequences of such encounters. Unfortunately, this is far worse for women of color who do not have the resources to treat and report such traumatic experiences.

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