ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the rich histories of black, critical feminist poets who were also political activists, educators, and liberators. Through their writing, the chapter shows how they raise, amplify, and suggest treatments for issues of health inequities and inequalities. They are the ‘caged birds’ – in Maya Angelou’s term – who, through voice, art, and written word, envisioned and created new possible futures for themselves and women of colour who followed them. These poets were selected as illustrators of how poetry acts as a tool for political activism and empowerment, highlighting structural and social determinants that mould the lived experiences of women of colour. At a foundational level, poetry is seen as a modality of healing both the psyche and the physical body. Poetry acts not just as salve or voice of protest but as enacted treatment of the cultural and individual psyche. The poets include Maya Angelou, Audre Lorde, Nikki Giovanni, Sarojini Naidu, Olive Senior, and Makhosazana Xaba.
