Brooks urges her brothers and sisters to make the church and the barbershop the safe centers of their lives rather than languishing on the street. Depressing in language at times, The Anniad relays the feeling that African Americans should attempt to live the American dream after fighting to defeat fascism abroad.įollowing the Anniad, the language starts to flow and become upbeat. She has seen many men in her community fall prey to both whiskey and womanizing and desires that these soldiers do more with their lives than repeat the community's habits.

His adjustment to life in the African American community can at times be trying, but Brooks hopes that he does not turn to alcoholism as a means to get through the rigors of life.

A ballad, the Anniad describes in detail the experience of a soldier both on the front and after his return. The centerpiece of this collection is The Anniad. Brooks' language is sad yet hopeful as Annie's parents relay what knowledge they have in hopes that their daughter has a brighter future than they did. He should be a steady family man who is ready to settle down and live the American dream. Using her poetry as a platform, Brooks expresses how she hopes that Annie Allen finds a stable marriage to a black soldier returning from war. Brooks describes what both daughter and mother hope for in their life, for good and bad.

Through her expressive language, Brooks relates how African Americans navigated post war America, and this vivid collection has stood the test of time.Īnnie Allen and her mother are one of many signature poems in this collection. A sequel to her Street Called Bronzeville, Annie Allen continues to describe in detail the African American experience during the late 1940s. Gwendolyn Brooks won the Pulitzer Prize for her poetry collection Annie Allen in 1950, making her the first African American woman to win the illustrious award.

Gwendolyn brooks poems about race