Enlightenment (Trethewey poem) Summary

The poem begins with a description of a portrait of Thomas Jefferson that hangs in his home, Monticello. The speaker remarks that at the time Jefferson sat for the portrait, he was known to be involved in an affair with his slave, Sally Hemings. She says that the contradictions in Jefferson's actions became a topic of debate and conversation between her and her father for years. She states that she later understood that he may have agreed with some of Jefferson's views about race, and felt the need to defend him. She finally notes that things shifted between them in later years, as she makes a joke during a tour of Monticello about how different their lives would have been in the past.