The black unicorn is greedy.
The black unicorn is impatient.
‘The black unicorn was mistaken
for a shadow or symbol
and taken
through a cold country
where mist painted mockeries
of my fury.
It is not on her lap where the horn rests
but deep in her moonpit
growing.
The black unicorn is restless
the black unicorn is unrelenting
the black unicorn is not
free.

Analysis, meaning and summary of Audre Lorde's poem The Black Unicorn

9 Comments

  1. Francisco Silva Seno says:

    Didn’t understand somebody explain to me?

  2. Katlin says:

    It’s not racist. I believe that Audre was pulling from all forms of imprisonment. When someone is not free and they’re not liked or loved. Being inprisoned “deep in her moonpit” the unicorn started to change from a beloved unicorn to a hated unicorn, a feared unicorn, a unicorn that wasn’t free. I come from the view points of William Blake and his two poems “The Lamb” and “The Tygre”. They portray that it isn’t the animal itself that is dangerous but it’s life that created it that way. What makes the beauty the devil depends on how you treat it.

  3. rebecca lantend says:

    my opinion towards this poem is that the black people were slaves and will never be free. like it states in the poem which is a very truthful statement.

  4. Zahlia says:

    Audre Lorde was born in a time when it was hard for black people! working for the white man is symbolic to how slavery was. So yes, black people were really slaves. It is not racist one bit. Audre Lorde was black, AND a lesbian. Please, do some research before you assume what this poem might have symbolized.

    On that note, I think it was beautiful, like all her work. thank you for posting that.

  5. Dominique says:

    Let’s just say this due to your lack of knowledge about the author and saying that she is calling us dumb asses and saying that we ar still slaves shows your complete ingornace and stupidty. I think that you just wrote a comment based on what you thought the poem was about because you were just to stupid to understand where Audre Lorde is coming from. So next time before, you decide to post a comment talking shit..think about what you really read and try to at least learn some facts on what you are trying to talk about–Thank You!

  6. noel says:

    yes im trying to find a peom called belive in the unicorn by patrick douglas your poem was awsome but i have to use him if i could i would do your poem

  7. north carolina says:

    Well i think that he is most defiantly is talking about black people. This peom is telling the world that black people (unicorn), dumb asses. This poem is very racist and it looks down on black people saying we are still slaves. If that is the case white people are slaves to because we all are working for the WHITE man.

  8. hannah says:

    i believe the unicorn in this poem is highly symbolic. osf something greater than jsut a myhtical creature. could possibly be a symbol for human nature. it makes perfect sense to me. What do other people think? Let me know.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Do you have any comments, criticism, paraphrasis or analysis of this poem that you feel would assist other visitors in understanding the meaning or the theme of this poem by Audre Lorde better? If accepted, your analysis will be added to this page of American Poems. Together we can build a wealth of information, but it will take some discipline and determination.