Consider the opening stanza of Countee Cullen’s poem "A Brown Girl Dead": “With two white roses on her breasts,/White candles at head and feet,/Dark Madonna of the grave she rests;/Lord Death has found her sweet.” Which interpretation best describes the meaning of these lines?

Show Answers

The lines use Christian symbols to highlight the honor and respect given to the deceased girl.Christian imagery is employed to imply that death removes racial boundaries.The stanza uses irony to address the issue of racial discrimination.Both A and B are accurate interpretations.None of the above.

Explanation

The stanza incorporates Christian symbolism to convey two key ideas: first, it dignifies the girl who has passed away, and second, it suggests that death transcends racial differences. Therefore, both interpretations A and B are valid, making option D the correct choice.