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Indian Poem

Author, Unknown

Last Updated: Jan-24-1998
Annotated by:
Brown, Kate

Primary Category: Literature / Poetry

Genre: Poem

Summary:

This five-line poem poses a direct question of distributive justice to a mother faced with scarce resources. "Indian Poem" asks the mother to decide how she will divide what little she has among her children. She must choose between her strong son who has no immediate need, her weak son who is bound to die soon , and her daughter, "who is a girl anyway." The poem presents an imperative choice, but acknowledges that in choosing, the mother will also suffer along with her children.

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