"Sugar", "Aubade: Some Peaches, After Storm", and "The Bean- Eaters"

This class, we are encouraged to think about he obvious level of metaphors in a poem and from there, take it step by step into the deeper meaning. I am actually very excited about taking this approach because I definitely struggle with poetry.

Aubade, Some Peaches, After Storm:
Taking the obvious approach, a storm rolls through a peach orchard and knocks many of the fruit off of the trees onto the soil. Depending on the state of ripeness, they can ripen too soon and their flesh become soggy and soft or they can remain stiff and spoil after skipping the edible stage. The peaches are dependent on some other saving them, without intervention, they are helpless.

The Bean Eaters:
I assumed that this poem was referring to an old couple in their home going about a rather monotonous day to day life with little stimulation. I almost got the idea that they were somewhat of hoarders towards the end? That may have something to do with the idea of the elderly collecting mementoes from the past. Beans are easy to cook, soft in texture, somewhat bland in taste and make for a very casual meal much like the couple's life.

Sugar
The opening scene of this poem at Angola struck a chord with me because, if the author is referring to the same place, Angola is the state penitentiary of Louisiana and I have visited this prison with my high school government class. The prison is still today partially self-sustainable, and prisoners farm the fields for crops used to feed the prison as well as sold to the public and suppliers. Watching the prisoners farm looked like a scene directly out of a movie involving slavery. Almost all of the prisoners in the field were black and the guards rode on horses with shot guns over their shoulders. Sugar cane is an abundant crop in Louisiana, and it is also heavily tied to the history of slavery in both North and South America. This poem was similar in content to others we have read as writers draw on this connection and the conflicting characteristics of sugar cane as it is so sweet and craved by so many but also so heavily tied to the past.