Review: Wounded in the House of a Friend by Sonia Sanchez

Abstract or Introduction

Sonia Sanchez is best known for her strong stance on race and gender; this is the heart of her poetry. Sanchez explores her identity as an African American woman through a separatist lens. Influenced by the movement of Malcolm X, she focuses on what sets
her race apart and embraces that. Her poetry proudly establishes black identity through an assessment of its present, past, and future state.

This is what probably struck me about Wounded in the House of a Friend (1995), unlike Sanchez’s previous works, the title in itself speaks to anyone. It suggests a powerful image of universal pain, one which is clearly readable regardless of race and gender. Yet, oddly enough, this title is somewhat contradicted by the actual content of the book. Overall, Sanchez’s poetry seemed to distance itself from the white/male reader, often only speaking to its target audience (black women). This may have possibly been Sanchez’s desired effect. Considering her signature ‘separatist’ style, she at times uses language and voice to alienate the Caucasian/male
reader rather than inviting them in. The first poem (also entitled) ‘Wounded in the House of a Friend’ offered me a clear image of pain. Initially, this poem invited me in, allowing me to immerse myself in the emotion. It was set up as a series of internal, private, monologues between husband and wife, the narrative taking its course as the husband admits to infidelity. Structurally, this offered me a connection to the writing, as I experienced the uninhibited emotions of these characters, projected through Sanchez’s exploration of ‘natural’ voice.