Thomas And Beulah by Rita Dove
The book is a collection of interrelated poems that tell the semi-fictionalized story of an African American couple's life together in the early to mid-20th century. Through a series of lyrical narratives, the reader experiences the couple's journey from their courtship and marriage, through the trials and tribulations of the Great Migration, to their old age. The poems are divided into two parts, with the first half focusing on the husband's perspective and the second half on the wife's. The work explores themes of love, resilience, and the African American experience, capturing the nuances of their individual and shared lives against the backdrop of a changing America.