Memory
Relying on a theme common in poetry, Walker dwells upon memories a great deal. "Childhood" is dedicated to the hard workers who modeled adulthood for Walker when she was young. Growing up in a mining town, she reconciles her own experience of the wondrous, vast countryside and of the tired, red miners marching home as a unit. Similarly, "Lineage" looks backward at the strength of the women Walker's heritage. She links their memories with physical senses as well as her own conception of self. In a way, Walker longs to prove that those memories are alive in herself, but she has doubts.
Honoring Suffering
In multiple poems Walker sets out to honor the accomplishments of her ancestors and her people. They had a hard go life, but their legacy of suffering endures. In "For My People" Walker couples an account of the hard work of her people alongside a declaration of hope. She wants to see these ancestors honored by a generation which fully embraces freedom and vitality. The best way to allow the memories of one's ancestors is through an active participation in life. Similarly, though with such distinct subject matters, Walker writes both "Love Song for Alex, 1979" and "For Malcolm X" in honor of the work which her husband and her icon accomplished. For Alex, the work is the dedication to family and the endurance of time and aging. For his work, Walker writes this ode of devotion and recognition. On the other hand, Malcolm X was a leader against oppression. He is honored by Walker in her own admission of his power and in her desire to see his legacy continued.
Identification with Newness
In her poetry, Walker demonstrates an identification with newness. She is conscious of the way her generation differs from all those previous. In a very real sense, she feels guilty for this, as in her admission of guilt in "Lineage." Unable to claim the same selfless sacrifice and work of her ancestors, Walker feels wrong for enjoying such freedom made possible through those same sacrifices. She does, however, arrive at a sense of wholeness in her identity as new. "For My People" is an ode to the hard work of her ancestors concluded with a call to action. Walker wants to see her fellow generation embrace their privileges and to live in full recognition of their freedoms as a way to honor their heritage.
