Marilyn Nelson - 'Dinah's Lament'

The transcript tells the story of Fortune, a slave who died in 1798. His owner preserved his skeleton for educational purposes. Fortune's bones are now in the Mattatuck Museum. The poem 'Dina's Lament' is narrated by Fortune's wife, Dina, expressing her sorrow and pain as she cleans around her husband's remains, reflecting on their past life together.

What was the purpose of preserving Fortune's bones?

• To display in an art gallery

• To return to his family

• To honor his memory

• To use as a teaching tool

Who is the speaker in the poem 'Dina's Lament'?

• The doctor

• Miss Lydia

• Fortune

• Dina, Fortune's wife

Why does Miss Lydia refuse to clean the doctor's room?

• She is too busy

• She is afraid of the room

• She is allergic to dust

• She doesn't know how to clean

What does Dina reflect on while cleaning the room?

• Her plans to leave the town

• Her personal pain and memories of Fortune

• Her husband's past actions

• Her children's future

What emotion does Dina primarily express in the poem?

• Joy

• Anger

• Loneliness

• Excitement