After reading ‘Urban Affection‘ by Emanuel Xavier, it is clear to see there are many points he brings up that are extremely topical in times like this. The poet himself is an immigrant in the US and a firm human-rights activist. Elements of his past definitely come through in issues within the text. Towards the beginning of the poem, he suggests that America as a nation is progressing in some respects, for instance increasing use of technological advancements, or openness to people of a different colour. He conveys this message by saying “We now live in an America where blacks are not only allowed the right to vote but can become the Redeemer President of the United States” (line 3-4). The takeaway from this is that America has the ability to progress and improve, and is being displayed in these ways.
However, he subsequently switches to the polar opposite of his initial message. One thing I noticed is the repeated use of the phrase “We still live in an America where…” which is put at the beginning of every stanza. In one case, the poem states “We still live in an America where not everyone can appreciate the beauty of immigration, crowded streets, brutal differences, urban affection” (line 26-27). In essence, he is trying to prove that America (and the world for that matter) is still stagnant in many of their traditional ways. Humanity still hasn’t moved beyond the discrimination and segregation of people with differences, of religious stereotypes, of sexuality, or even the power of books. The matter of the fact is, even if we are moving towards an America with less racism, people shouldn’t have to be protesting in the first place for basic human rights.
Essentially, the key concept this poem plays with is that although superficially, America is this progressive/accepting society, beneath all these layers we find that there is still such intolerance. Regardless of how appealing or enlightened the norms of society come across, people are just as biased as they used to be. The poem also refers to the power of poetry and texts, and I think this is of the utmost importance when seeking strength or comfort in times like this (through protests for Black Lives Matter, etc). This is just one interpretation of the line “We still live in an America where books cannot prevent war and the sick and wounded need healing” (line 25). Overall, I think this poem really raises consciousness and awareness dealing with our need to move beyond traditional barriers. In this modern-day and age, there really is no excuse to be racist, supporting negative stereotypes, or all other behaviours holding us back from moving towards a state of unity as a people.