Poetry · Chapter
Fascination explained
The speaker expresses deep admiration and love for a woman, describing her physical beauty through natural metaphors and emphasizing his desire to kiss her.
What happens
The speaker expresses deep admiration and love for a woman, describing her physical beauty through natural metaphors and emphasizing his desire to kiss her.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
The emotional peak occurs in the final line, "Tell them to leave you alone!..."—a raw, defiant outburst that s…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Love and Loss
The poem centers on a declaration of love and physical attraction, highlighting the theme of romantic desire.
- Racial Identity and Oppression
The description of the woman's brown skin and dark features celebrates Black beauty, affirming racial identity against societal norms.
Characters to notice
- Unknown
The speaker who declares love and desire for the woman.
- Fascination
The woman being admired for her beauty, with comparisons to apple, plums, midnight, and oak leaves.
Key passages
“Her teeth are as white as the meat of an apple, Her lips are like dark ripe plums.”
Her teeth are very white and her lips are dark and full like ripe plums.
Uses fruit imagery to describe her facial features.
“Her hair is a midnight mass, a dusky aurora.”
Her hair is dark like midnight and has a soft, glowing quality.
Compares her hair to night and a dusky dawn.
“And because her skin is the brown of an oak leaf in autumn, but a softer color, I want to kiss her.”
Her brown skin reminds me of an autumn oak leaf, only softer, and that makes me want to kiss her.
Expresses desire rooted in the beauty of her skin tone.
