In "Tell Them," Kathy Jetn̄il-Kijiner writes about how the beauty of the Marshall Islands and its people are at risk because of climate change.
Pair “A Litany for Survival” with “Tell Them” and ask students to compare the poems’ themes and tone. What are the themes of Audre Lorde’s “A Litany for Survival”? How does Lorde develop the tone of the poem through imagery and word choice? What are the themes of “Tell Them”? How does Kathy Jetn̄il-Kijiner develop the tone of the poem through imagery and word choice? In “A Litany for Survival,” Lorde writes, “when we speak we are afraid / our words will not be heard / nor welcomed / but when we are silent / we are still afraid / So it is better to speak / remembering / we were never meant to survive.” What does this line mean in the context of Lorde’s poem? How does Jetn̄il-Kijiner’s poem demonstrate this idea through its tone and message?