Attend me, hold me in your muscular flowering arms, protect me from throwing any part of myself away

Attend me, hold me in your muscular flowering arms, protect me from throwing any part of myself away

Audre Lorde, a renowned poet, essayist, and activist, often explored themes of identity, power, and resistance in her work. In the quote “Attend me, hold me in your muscular flowering arms, protect me from throwing any part of myself away,” Lorde speaks to the idea of self-acceptance and self-preservation in the face of societal pressures to conform or diminish one's true self.

Lorde's use of the phrase "muscular flowering arms" evokes a sense of strength and growth, suggesting that embracing all aspects of oneself is a powerful and transformative act. By asking to be held in these arms, she is seeking protection from the forces that would seek to diminish or erase parts of her identity. This can be seen as a call to resist the pressures to conform to societal norms or expectations, and instead embrace all parts of oneself, even those that may be marginalized or misunderstood.

The idea of not throwing any part of oneself away speaks to the importance of self-acceptance and self-love. Lorde believed that embracing all aspects of oneself, even the parts that may be deemed undesirable or unacceptable by society, is essential to living authentically and fully. By refusing to discard any part of herself, Lorde asserts her right to exist as she is, unapologetically and unashamedly.