The poem starts by presenting the woman as naked, whereby her black skin is the clothing. The color of her skin is life. Life here implies birth. Her offsprings inherit this trait, which marks them out of all other races of the world. Her dark, beautiful skin protects her children and tenders them. The persona remembers how his mother cared and brought him up. ‘In your shadow I have grown up/ the gentleness of your hands was laid over my eyes’ Lines 4 – 5.

From the tone of the persona we can see, he is writing in retrospect. We should bear in mind that Leopold Sedar Senghor wrote this poem while he was away in France for studies. So, we can see why he speaks from the point he remembers and wishes to return to his mother, who can be his birth mother or the land of Africa personified.

In the next stanza, he wallows in an imaginary life outside Africa and away from his mother. He recollects what home feels like. He imagines home (Africa) and his mother’s warmth to be paradise through the use of Biblical allusion ‘Promise Land’ Line 8. His tone shows that he detests the Western Summer but wishes for the Sun-baked African weather. He concludes the stanza by referencing the beauty and the joy it brings to his heart. This stanza shows the empathy of black African women. Yes, some critics can say he idolizes it, but who does not idolize his/her mother? He puts it in Lines 9 – 10 as ‘And your beauty strikes me to the heart/like the flash of an eagle.’

The rest of the stanzas discuss how calm and reassuring the black woman is. He compares her to ‘a calm oil’ that can’t be ruffled but possessed a soothing power on her children. Line 21 ‘Oil that no breath ruffles, calm oil on the athlete’s flank.’ In addition, he states the shiny nature of her skin and how she protects her children on and off the continent.

Now, we have seen the analysis of the black woman let’s look at the use of symbolism. The ‘Black Woman’ by Leopold Sedar Senghor, is symbolic. The Black Woman represents Africa, who was raped and dehumanized by the Westerners leaving Africa bare. The poet uses the Black Woman to sensitize Africans to regain their pride. The Black Woman also represents the motherly nature of African women who survived slavery.