From quilting (1991), "white lady" Summary

The subtitle of this poem says that "white lady" is a street name for cocaine. The poem personifies cocaine as a white lady who lures the family's young people into bondage. The white lady promises the young people, including the son, friend's daughter, and the poet's niece, the false vows of a prostitute, including true love and true understanding. Stanza three points out that in reality all these promises lead to imprisonment and prostitution for the young. The poet asks what the adults need to pay to get their children back, what they must owe to have their own back.

From quilting (1991), "white lady" Analysis

This poem addresses a personification of cocaine, called "white lady," which is a street name for coke. The first stanza talks about her, explaining that the white lady...