Song No. 3

“Can’t nobody tell me any different/I’m ugly and you know it too” (Sanchez, lines 1-2). The sad subject matter of the poem is introduced in the very beginning. The sadness lies in the fact that this young girl has such low self-esteem and such negative things to say about herself. But the question is why does she feel this way? Did she simply wake up one morning and come to this conclusion? No. I think it stems from her economic status, her location, and what behaviors she has observed from other people.

                Sanchez was born in Alabama, but was moved, at the young age of three, to New York City where the book mentions she attended public school. We can tell from the descriptions in the poem that she was not well off as a child economically speaking. For example, “…my clothes have holes that run right through to you” (Sanchez, line 7). Apparently, her family did not have enough money for nice, or even decent, clothes. This could easily make an impression on any child that they are somehow less important, or less valuable, because they don’t look like the other kids do.

                These feelings of inadequacy were most likely only magnified by the fact that this girl, assuming that Sanchez is the speaker, probably went to an integrated school where it was mostly white and she was a minority. The book mentions that “One feature of stereotypes is that the dominant group often becomes the norm and minorities are seen as other, as less than” (Making Literature Matter 975). I think that is exactly the case in this poem. If I could put myself in this girl’s shoes, if I was put into a position where I was the minority, and I was looked down on for being different by everyone around me, I think it would take a severe toll on my self-esteem as well, and probably be very lonely. She writes that she “sits alone all day by herself”. This is not because there is nobody around. She obviously sees people passing by because she mentions that they “smile to make her feel better”, but it doesn’t sound like anyone talks to her.

                 The speaker’s observations of other people, and her experiences with her district, have taught her that the reason why people don’t want to talk to her, or associate with her, is that she is black. So, as a result, it gives her the impression that black is ugly, and undesirable. However, the tone of the poem is not one laced with self-pity, or complaint, but rather, acceptance and an innocent want of a friend. I say that it has a tone of acceptance because the speaker makes no effort to change who she is, or to try to blend in. She even writes words to match exactly how she would say them; for example, she uses the words “fo it wuz ‘posed to” and “knowing I cain’t fall”. By doing this she is accepting who she is. And yet, it does not cancel out the need for someone else to accept her too, “…one day I hope somebody will stop me and say/looka here, a pretty little black girl lookin’ just like me” (Sanchez, lines 15-16).