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Song Of The Andoumboulou Essay

Decent Essays

I chose the passage from Song Of The Andoumboulou: 60 on page 120. The passage is lines 31 to 42, which stars with the line “shadowbox romance it was called…” and ends with the lines “lip, tongue rummaging tongue,”(120). This passage has a couple of different interesting elements within the lines. The basic plotline I got from this passage is the declaration of the Andoumboulou as one. It also states that this community is both “real but made up” which is an interesting line. I viewed it as Mackey stating that the Andoumboulou are a real group of people, but also recognizing that in this epic journey they are made up. There is also hints of an imaginary or transparent romance with the statement of the “shadowbox romance”. Shadowbox can reference either the verb form to spar with an imaginary …show more content…

The word “mu” can have multiple connotations and meanings within the poem. In this passage, it can reference the mythical land of “mu”, as states the “habitants of ‘mu’” (120). The use of “mu” can also be seen in the word muse in the lines, “rub’s new muse” (120). The word “mu” is a part of “muse” and this could have its own individual meaning though I am not quite sure what the connection is entirely. The lines “Come of late to creation’s outskirts, / rub’s new muse a republic to none” are interesting as well. In this line, the word “rub” can be closely identified with the word “nub” that Mackey uses throughout his poetry. This then means that this line relates to Mackey’s definition of “nub”, which states in the preface “the flailing republic of the United States” (xv). The republic is a crucial idea in this sentiment of the whole of a state being controlled by the people. I think this is an important idea, because of them emphasis Mackey puts on a community of people. I think the idea of intimacy and connection of people in a community

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