A Litany for Survival

“Hanging Fire” by Audre Lorde (1978)

This poem was published in The Black Unicorn, along with “A Litany for Survival.” In “Hanging Fire,” Lorde discusses racism in the United States, as well as colorism within her family. Racism and colorism are some of the ways that the marginalized people in “A Litany for Survival” are oppressed.

“Power” by Audre Lorde (1978)

Lorde’s poem “Power” explores the deaths of young Black people in the United States. It specifically looks at the case of Clifford Glover, a 10-year-old who was killed by a racist cop. This is one fear of marginalized people, and could be listed alongside the other fears in “A Litany for Survival.”

“Coal” by Audre Lorde (1968)

This poem comes from an earlier collection of Lorde’s poetry. However, both poems discuss the power of speech.

“The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action” by Audre Lorde (1978)

This is an essay by Lorde that was published around the same time as The Black Unicorn. She compares this essay with “A Litany for Survival” in an interview with Adrienne Rich—both discuss silence and speaking.

“A Litany for Survival: The Life and Work of Audre Lorde” (1995)