‘The Ballad of Aunt Geneva’ by Marilyn Nelson is about a Black woman’s life, relationships, and work. It is based on local rumors and assumptions about her character.
This is a lovely Marilyn Nelson poem that is as interesting as it is thoughtful. It requires readers to analyze the information they've bene given as well as consider the fact that most of it is based on rumors. The poem describes the life of one woman in vague, judgemental detail. It condemns her as a "tart" and "wild" based on what people have observed about her.
Geneva was a wild one
Geneva was a tart.
Geneva met a blue-eyed boy
And gave away her heart.