Introduction
Poetry is a variety of literature whose language is bound by rhythm, mantra, rhyme, and arrangement of lines and stanzas. Usually, poetry contains the poet's expressions of emotions, experiences, and impressions. According to Ollila, B. & Jantas, J. (2006), poetry is used to achieve this artistic expression in several ways. There are certain forms and patterns that poets follow in the composition process of their work. One of the literary works that discuss the problem of complexity and issues in the world is reflected in a complex way: the book collection of poems Postcolonial Love Poem. This poetry book describes a female character shown as a beauty worshiper and obsessed with female beauty. Beauty is precious for female characters. In current developments, beauty has become a myth that the female character is not aware of. The beauty myth is also illustrated in Natalie Diaz's book of poetry, Postcolonial Love Poem, based on the experience of the speaker's emotional outburst against the oppression of women. Natalie Diaz's book collection of Poems Postcolonial Love Poem is one of the books that won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize. This collection of poems tells of the speaker's strong desire to fight social oppression. In this book, she speaks about the beauty of women, but because of their beauty, women become sexually objectified.
Theory Framework
In analyzing this poem, the author uses the Beauty Myth concept from Naomi Wolf, which criticizes the oppression of women in this poem. According to this approach, several big ideas need to be highlighted. Those are: The definition of beauty is used to control women and keep them down. The idea is that there is a certain quality called beauty that women should try to acquire. The myth perpetuates the belief that without being beautiful, women are worthless and invisible. And then, there are many consequences of the beauty myth. It negatively affects women by affecting their physical. The effects of it are devastating for women, but it also benefits people who support that beauty standard.
Findings
The speaker in this poem is a woman, which can be clearly seen from the following line:
The river is my sister—I am its daughter.
But it turns out her significant other is a woman too, as can be seen from
blue phacelia which hold purple the way a throat can hold the shape of any great hand— Great hands is what she called mine.
It can be assumed that the speaker of the content poem is a lesbian. Being a lesbian is wrong in society. And the speakers feel pressured about it. Then, it can also be seen that:
How many days have you waited in the long line of thirst with your dirty jug? Are you able to love anyone—
This line is describing that a woman who cannot express her love for someone because of the pressure and intimidation from society. Conclusion Being different in society is not a human will. But if it is destined to be different and then get oppression from the community, humans will feel a sense of pressure and injustice. Therefore, the oppression of women is real. It's not just limited to feelings and sexual orientation. But it also happens in all aspects of life.
References
Diaz, N (2019) Postcolonial Love Poem. New York: GrayWolf Press
Ollia, B. & Jantas, J. (2006) The Definition of Poetry. Retrieved July, 2021 from https://joejantas.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/the-definition-of-poetry1.pdf
Wolf, N. (2002) The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women. New York: HarperCollins
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