Explore the poem

This poem tells the story of Harriet Tubman, an American woman who was born into slavery, escaped and then spent her life bravely rescuing many other ‘Black sisters and brothers’.

Harriet Tubman’s spirit is captured in the dynamic language of this poem. Take a look at the first two lines. Can you find where they are repeated later in the poem? Practise saying these lines with strength and determination – as Harriet would have needed for her rescue missions.

Now look at the last two lines of the poem. The same line is repeated but how will you say it each time? The same? Or different? Why?

October is Black History Month. Could you perform ‘Harriet Tubman’ for other people? Or try other poems that tell stories from Black History such as John Agard’s ‘Checking Out Me History’, Rita Dove’s ‘Rosa’ or Pamela Mordecai’s ‘Lament of an Arawak Child’.