Essay Questions

Identify and discuss some of the overarching themes in Ogawa’s poems.

Ogawa’s poems frequently explore themes of racial tensions, philosophy, and abuse. As an outspoken and courageous African American woman, racism and racial bias in America was very close to Ogawa’s heart. Many of Ogawa’s race-based poems are historically charged in nature; they detail her own feelings about historically-relevant events, as in the “ Riot Act, April 29, 1992.” Themes of racial injustice and racial violence are prevalent in Ogawa’s poems and are moralistically reflective of Ogawa’s experiences with and opinions of historical events for black Americans. Ogawa similarly explores ideas of philosophy. In “Conversation” and “Passage For Allen Ginsberg,” for example, Ogawa explores philosophical ideas of death and longing. She uses her poem to explore these philosophies in a way that is both confrontational and poetic. Finally, Ogawa often confronts abuse--whether physical, sexual, or emotional--in her poems. In “Grandfather Says,” for example, Ogawa details the complexity of abuse at the hands of a family member. She uses her poems to explore this abuse and to detail the unpredictable ways it can impact a person’s emotional and mental health.

In “Passage For Allen Ginsberg,” a passenger on a train notices a field of sunflowers. These flowers spark an intense mental debate for the passenger. Why do you think Ogawa chose to use sunflowers, as opposed to another type of flower?

Sunflowers are very metaphorical in nature, both due to their name and their color. Both are bright and representative of warmth, brightness, and joy. These traits are all reflective of what the passenger wishes to attain in her life. She contemplates what it would be like to be rooted in the grown, eternally soaking up the sun, eternally glowing. As sunflowers are inherently associated with brightness and warmth, these plants are excellent metaphorical representations for the passenger. Additionally, sunflowers are known for their ability to grow to great heights. These height is a metaphorical representation for continued growth and success. The passenger is envious of the sunflower’s unabashed glow and height. The flowers tower over all other vegetation and refuse to go unnoticed. It is for these reasons that the sunflower is an apt flower to metaphorically represent the simpler, brighter life the passenger envies.

Ai Ogawa writes of the horrible abuse at the hands of her grandfather in “Grandfather Says.” In her own life, Ogawa never experienced such horrific abuse herself. Why do you think Ogawa chose to write about something so horrible and emotional, even though she has never experienced it herself?

Ogawa was known for passionate take on social justice. Her poems were often an outlet which she used to express her feelings about social injustice. Though Ogawa was never abused herself, the sexual abuse of young women was a social injustice that was clearly very close to her heart. It’s possible Ogawa was close with someone who was abused as a child. It’s also possible that this was simply a topic that she was very passionate about. Additionally, it’s sometimes easier to write about fantasy than it is to write about reality. If Ogawa’s own life was a peaceful and happy as she claims, it’s possible she found it rather difficult to write about her own joyous experiences. As a result, Ogawa may have been inspired to write about a darker topic that she had little firsthand experience with. Finally, it’s possible that because Ogawa was never abused, she felt compelled to share a tale of abuse in place of all those who had suffered similar abuse but didn't have the means, desire, or courage to share their stories with the world.