In Patricia Smith’s poem “What it’s Like to be a Black Girl (for those of you who aren’t)”, how do her identities
as both female and black intersect, or meet? Give an example from the poem.
Give an example from the poem where we can see the speakers experience being specific to be being “black”,
and give an example where can we see her experience being universally about being a “girl”, regardless of
race?
How does concentrating on her intersecting identities make this poem more powerful?
Sample Solution
