According to many critics and writers, Audre Lorde had many titles and a place in literary history. In the article “Audre Lorde: Influence, Sisterhood, Legacy,” authors Eve Oishi and Jennifer Bowen focus on all the people that Lorde was during her life. Poetry cannot exist without poets, and different schools of poetry grew around these poets and their lives. The article mainly focuses on the world that created and nurtured Audre Lorde and her works. The particular focus stems from Angela Bowen’s connection with Audre Lorde and their interactions. Bowen’s story follows a connection made in passing with Lorde that created a strong relationship. People have mentors and those that they can turn to, and for Bowen, the fiercely strong Lorde became one of those people. “Lorde writing” was according to Bowen a realization and an understanding of the poet she could be (22). Audre Lorde was the poet to unlock doors for Angela Bown and show her that writers like Bowen existed and found success. In their lifetimes, people will see many first and new beginnings that inspire them to continue forward on the path of life.
Often people say that you shouldn’t meet your heroes because the person that they are in your head may be very different from these people in real life. Illusions are shattered everyday when the mask comes off and the real person comes out. Oishi focuses on the key moments of one person’s interactions with Audre Lorde that inspired a young writer to continue to write and create even when it seemed as though no one could understand. Bowen played a role in putting together a conference in Boston that honored Audre and the mark she left on the poetry movement as a whole. In 1997, “Bowen’s was the first dissertation to be written on Lorde” ever (23). In placing a date on the dissertation, Oishi acknowledges the role that Bowen played in furthering Lorde’s career. Writers are dependent on readers to read their books so that they can continue to make money, and while it may seem like such a small moment compared to the life that she lived. This moment for so many is the understanding that they have made it as not only had Lorde become a poet who is researched, but a student completes a project on an iconic poet who made their year. Bowen connected with Lorde on many levels, but over the course of their time together, they became more than acquaintances; they became closer to peers who got along with each other. They used each other’s ideas and eyes to craft a poem that was just right while also appealing to the reader.
The article focuses on connections and what happens when we build up those connections. Audra Lord did not have to give Bowen her card number and invite her to contact Lord, but she did. She saw an author in need of guidance and to see someone just like themselves and she took it upon herself to help them out. Bowen wanted to focus on not just Lorde’s personality, but also her poetic voice that appealed to so many as they read. Lorde made a tremendous impact on Bowen’s life to the point that she created an organization that would continue to read about and understand Audre’s life and choices. Even after other projects drew her attention away, Bowen wanted to complete an “anthology” of Lorde’s work that focused more on the writing and less on who she was as a person (25). The author notices that Bowen feels a sense of responsibility in spreading Audre’s poetry, almost as if the poems meant more than the poets. Honoring mentors can be challenging and complicated as the organizer wants nothing more than to make their hero’s happy, and continue their legacy so it is not lost to the world.
Oishi, Eve, and Jennifer Bowen. “Audre Lorde: Influence, Sisterhood, Legacy.” Journal of International Women’s Studies, vol. 22, no. 8, Aug. 2021, pp. COV91+. Gale In Context: World History, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A676838220/WHIC?u=cofc_main&sid=bookmark-WHIC&xid=df96b611. Accessed 24 Sept. 2024.
Mayma, your piece brings to light the importance of relationships, reverence, and respect within a community of people with shared interests. Often, trapped in our silos, as readers, writers, critics, and teachers, we forget the most important elements which are mentorship and partnership. They both are rare and special gifts that we should all be more conscientious about developing and nurturing as exemplified in your piece. Somehow our academic culture has changed to labelling instead of embracing. I find this to be so very sad. Great piece on the importance of mutual respect and collaboration! AND, how it leads to greatness!!