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Fortune's Bones: The Manumission Requiem
Winner of the Coretta Scott King Book Award
For young readers comes a poetic commemoration of the life of an 18th-century slave, from a past poet laureate and three-time National Book Award finalist
For over 200 years, the Mattatuck Museum in Connecticut has housed a mysterious skeleton. In 1996, community members decided to find out what they could about it. Historians discovered that the bones were those of an enslaved man named Fortune, who was owned by a local doctor. After Fortune’s death, the doctor rendered the bones.
Further research revealed that Fortune had married, had fathered four children, and had been baptized later in life. His bones suggest that after a life of arduous labor, he died in 1798 at about the age of 60. The Manumission Requiem is Marilyn Nelson’s poetic commemoration of Fortune’s life. Detailed notes and archival photographs enhance the reader’s appreciation of the poem.
For young readers comes a poetic commemoration of the life of an 18th-century slave, from a past poet laureate and three-time National Book Award finalist
For over 200 years, the Mattatuck Museum in Connecticut has housed a mysterious skeleton. In 1996, community members decided to find out what they could about it. Historians discovered that the bones were those of an enslaved man named Fortune, who was owned by a local doctor. After Fortune’s death, the doctor rendered the bones.
Further research revealed that Fortune had married, had fathered four children, and had been baptized later in life. His bones suggest that after a life of arduous labor, he died in 1798 at about the age of 60. The Manumission Requiem is Marilyn Nelson’s poetic commemoration of Fortune’s life. Detailed notes and archival photographs enhance the reader’s appreciation of the poem.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2004
5 people are currently reading
217 people want to read
About the author
Marilyn Nelson
57 books158 followersMarilyn Nelson is the author of many acclaimed books for young people and adults, including CARVER: A LIFE IN POEMS, a Newbery Honor Book and Coretta Scott King Honor Book, and A WREATH FOR EMMETT TILL, a Printz Honor Book and Coretta Scott King Honor Book. She also translated THE LADDER, a picture book by Halfdan Rasmussen. She lives in East Haddam, Connecticut.
For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/marilyn-...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
March 21, 2017
Very short. Beautiful illustrations and historical notes.
The author's note on page 9 states that the requiem was dedicated to everyone in the world who died on September 11, 2001, "the victims of the terrorist attacks, but also the victims of starvation, of illness, or poverty, of war, of old age, of neglect: Everyone."
The author's note also explains that when Fortune says, "You are not your body," he is quoting an ancient teaching, which the author learned from Thich Nhat Hanh, "the great Vietnamese Buddhist world leader, spiritual guide, and writer." See the poem at pages 25-27: Not my Bones: "I am not my body. . . . you can own someone's body, but the soul runs free."
The author's note also explains that she is imitating a New Orleans brass band jazz funeral by setting grief side by side with joy in calling the poem "The Manumission Requiem."
In 2012, the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at University of Maryland hosted a performance of the requiem with full symphony, two choirs, seven soloists and a chorus of African bells. Music by Ysaye M. Barnwell (Sweet Honey in the Rock). Wish I had been there.
https://theclarice.umd.edu/events/201...
The author's note on page 9 states that the requiem was dedicated to everyone in the world who died on September 11, 2001, "the victims of the terrorist attacks, but also the victims of starvation, of illness, or poverty, of war, of old age, of neglect: Everyone."
The author's note also explains that when Fortune says, "You are not your body," he is quoting an ancient teaching, which the author learned from Thich Nhat Hanh, "the great Vietnamese Buddhist world leader, spiritual guide, and writer." See the poem at pages 25-27: Not my Bones: "I am not my body. . . . you can own someone's body, but the soul runs free."
The author's note also explains that she is imitating a New Orleans brass band jazz funeral by setting grief side by side with joy in calling the poem "The Manumission Requiem."
In 2012, the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at University of Maryland hosted a performance of the requiem with full symphony, two choirs, seven soloists and a chorus of African bells. Music by Ysaye M. Barnwell (Sweet Honey in the Rock). Wish I had been there.
https://theclarice.umd.edu/events/201...
August 11, 2020
I love so much about this book. It was fascinating and impactful.
I think the nonfiction prose and pictures were more interesting than the poetry, but it was all great. Except for the cheesy Italian part that sounded like a Zeppo Marx routine.
I think the nonfiction prose and pictures were more interesting than the poetry, but it was all great. Except for the cheesy Italian part that sounded like a Zeppo Marx routine.
February 8, 2018
Beautiful poetry written about the uncovered history of a skeleton in a museum. Fortune was a black American slave whose owner preserved his skeleton for medical study.
I was disappointed at the length--I was left wanting more!
I was disappointed at the length--I was left wanting more!
October 1, 2011
wide reading for CI546
grade level: high school -- b/c of difficulty of language & imagery
genre: poetry with some historical illustrations and explanations
themes: slavery, family, ownership (of even one's bones), freedom, oppression, perspective
cultures: african-american
school use: Some of the vocabulary and imagery in this book is fairly high level. I'm student teaching with 7th/8th graders right now and I think a lot of it would go right over their heads. Maybe later high school grades would do OK wit it? Because the imagery of poetry can be lost if you can't understand the language. It would be a very interesting book to use when teaching about perspective -- each poem tells a different person's side of this story.
review: It's interesting to think about freedom as something perhaps only attainable after life is over and to ponder applying that universally, not just to those who are enslaved. My favorite poem in the book was "Not My Bones" -- very lyrical imagery and important ideas.
"You can own a man's body, / but you can't own his mind. / That's like making a bridle / to ride on the wind."
"We are brief incarnations, / we are louds in clothes. / We are water respirators, / we are how earth knows."
"You can own someone's body, / but the soul runs free. / It roams the night sky's / mute geometry."
"You are not your body, / you are not your bones. / What's essential about you / is what can't be owned."
grade level: high school -- b/c of difficulty of language & imagery
genre: poetry with some historical illustrations and explanations
themes: slavery, family, ownership (of even one's bones), freedom, oppression, perspective
cultures: african-american
school use: Some of the vocabulary and imagery in this book is fairly high level. I'm student teaching with 7th/8th graders right now and I think a lot of it would go right over their heads. Maybe later high school grades would do OK wit it? Because the imagery of poetry can be lost if you can't understand the language. It would be a very interesting book to use when teaching about perspective -- each poem tells a different person's side of this story.
review: It's interesting to think about freedom as something perhaps only attainable after life is over and to ponder applying that universally, not just to those who are enslaved. My favorite poem in the book was "Not My Bones" -- very lyrical imagery and important ideas.
"You can own a man's body, / but you can't own his mind. / That's like making a bridle / to ride on the wind."
"We are brief incarnations, / we are louds in clothes. / We are water respirators, / we are how earth knows."
"You can own someone's body, / but the soul runs free. / It roams the night sky's / mute geometry."
"You are not your body, / you are not your bones. / What's essential about you / is what can't be owned."
April 24, 2014
The story behind this book is a fascinating, and disturbing, piece of American history. After his death in 1798, Fortune, slave to a medical Dr. named Preserved Porter, suffered the final mistreatment of his life. Dr. Porter rendered his bones and used them to create a reference and teaching skeleton that stayed in the family, many of whom also became doctors, for years. In 1933, Fortune's skeleton, identity unknown, was donated to the Mattatuck Museum by a member of the Porter family. After decades on display, in 1970, Fortune was taken out off of the museum floor, only to stay in storage for more than 20 years before researchers discovered his identity and restored his name. While this story is fascinating, the book has a bit of an identity crisis. The factual information about Fortune's bones is told in brief snippets interspersed among a series of poems intended to be a requiem for Fortune. I couldn't help wanting more of the story as to how researchers discovered his identity and the debate about what should happen to Fortune now. With clear cultural importance in terms of a different look at slavery as well as the change in the American culture in terms of how people are treated after death, this would be an excellent supplement within a unit on slavery, ethics, or even poetic formats, and is most appropriate for older students.
September 23, 2010
This work of poetry tells the history of a slave named Fortune and his skeleton. The book begins with definitions, an author’s note, and preface; it concludes with an afterword, and notes and sources. Within the text, the pages are laid out with a poem on the right, and visuals followed by notes and annotations on the left. The visuals include maps; photographs of family members, silk embroidery, notebook pages, and Fortune’s bones; traced silhouettes; and paintings. The poems present the different voices in Fortune’s story. They include the perspectives of his wife; his master, Dr. Porter; Porter’s children, great-grandchildren, and unidentified children on a fieldtrip; Fortune; and the author. There are strong spiritual undertones. The prose is poignant, reverent, and graphic. Although this is a powerful book of poetry—written in honor of the memory of a slave, it would be more suitable to share with mature students studying American history because of its graphic and intimate nature.
April 17, 2018
• target audience: MS Verse Book 11-14yrs
• summary –This is a poetry book. Fortune was a slave, and when he died his owner boiled his bones and made a skeleton. That skeleton was used to study anatomy by the Doctor who owned Fortune and rendered his bones, and to later teach the Doctors children. Fortune is still teaching, now there are even more generations learning about Fortune and his life.
• personal critique - While this is a poetry book, it is also a history book. The book tells the story of Fortune, and what happened to his bones. It tells how he was discarded and rediscovered, how his story changed and is now retold. There are some plain explanations of the history and facts. Then there is some poetry about Fortune and his family.Very moving is a poem from the voice of Fortune's wife Dinah. She speaks of dusting the doctor's office, with her husbands bones displayed. While not documented as fact, the poem is still very stirring. The mix of poetic interpretations and historical evidence is very powerful.
• illustrations - This book has many photographs, historical documents and a modern painting of Fortune. The graphic support in this book is excellent, for the reader there are many ways to interact with this book. The poetry is enhanced with images on every page. The colors are somber, sepia, grayscale and are reminiscent of funeral dirge.
• notable awards - Coretta Scott King Honor Award, Nelson is a celebrated poet, with many other awards.
• whether a title could be used in a lesson plan? - This is a great book, and could be used to create a discussion in the classroom. There are many thoughtful moments, stirred by the both the poetry and the facts of the book. There is even an author's note that leads the reader in her thought process on creating the poetry.
• summary –This is a poetry book. Fortune was a slave, and when he died his owner boiled his bones and made a skeleton. That skeleton was used to study anatomy by the Doctor who owned Fortune and rendered his bones, and to later teach the Doctors children. Fortune is still teaching, now there are even more generations learning about Fortune and his life.
• personal critique - While this is a poetry book, it is also a history book. The book tells the story of Fortune, and what happened to his bones. It tells how he was discarded and rediscovered, how his story changed and is now retold. There are some plain explanations of the history and facts. Then there is some poetry about Fortune and his family.Very moving is a poem from the voice of Fortune's wife Dinah. She speaks of dusting the doctor's office, with her husbands bones displayed. While not documented as fact, the poem is still very stirring. The mix of poetic interpretations and historical evidence is very powerful.
• illustrations - This book has many photographs, historical documents and a modern painting of Fortune. The graphic support in this book is excellent, for the reader there are many ways to interact with this book. The poetry is enhanced with images on every page. The colors are somber, sepia, grayscale and are reminiscent of funeral dirge.
• notable awards - Coretta Scott King Honor Award, Nelson is a celebrated poet, with many other awards.
• whether a title could be used in a lesson plan? - This is a great book, and could be used to create a discussion in the classroom. There are many thoughtful moments, stirred by the both the poetry and the facts of the book. There is even an author's note that leads the reader in her thought process on creating the poetry.
February 22, 2018
This book is about a father that was a slave to a guy called doctor Porter. Fortune lived a pretty good life for a slave, he owned some land also had house for him and his family. Dr. Porter was a bone doctor so he as waiting until Fortune was dead to research his bones. Fortune was a hard working guy and usually worked for 24/7. When Fortune died Porter began his research on Fortunes bones.
There is a few Cause and Effect's in this book but here is the one that went through the whole book. Cause: That Fortune Died and Effect was that Porter began his research on the bones. The Bones were passed down from generations to generations, then it ended up in a museum. When it was at then it was researched and analyzed when it was at the museum for some time.
This book was really good also a good book report because the book was around 36 pages and sometimes they had pictures. I only rated it was a 3 because I thought that it was really boring but it was fast to read. I wish it told more about what fortune did and how hard he worked and a lot more detail to this character. Overall I think this book was a great historic book It taught about the bones, I would suggest this to 13+.
There is a few Cause and Effect's in this book but here is the one that went through the whole book. Cause: That Fortune Died and Effect was that Porter began his research on the bones. The Bones were passed down from generations to generations, then it ended up in a museum. When it was at then it was researched and analyzed when it was at the museum for some time.
This book was really good also a good book report because the book was around 36 pages and sometimes they had pictures. I only rated it was a 3 because I thought that it was really boring but it was fast to read. I wish it told more about what fortune did and how hard he worked and a lot more detail to this character. Overall I think this book was a great historic book It taught about the bones, I would suggest this to 13+.
May 23, 2018
Fortune's Bones intrigued me as a mix of a poetry book that combined with historical information to give the poems a point of reference. In the poetry book, we meet Fortune, a middle-age African American man, that lived his entire difficult life in slavery. Fortune's remains were kept over the ages after his owner, a doctor, decided to keep his body for scientific study and his bones were passed down from generation to generation. What Marilyn Nelson has done is combine the history told by Fortune's bones and research into his story to create and preserve his story through poetry. We not only learn facts and details about what Fortunes life was probably like while alive, but the poetry brings his and his families story to life. We get a sense of who he really was and felt emotions that he probably felt. I have never read a book quite like this, but the unique pairing of nonfiction with poetry creates a unique reading experience for readers to encounter.
February 7, 2018
In the story, Fortune wasn't just a slave, he was a husband and a father. He was a hard working slave. Unlike many slaves back in the day, Fortune had a small property on the land that he worked where his family lived. His owner, Docter Porter, was a bone docter. When Fortune died Dr. Porter did research on his bones.
One cause effect from this book is when Fortune dies and Dr Porter gets his bones. Cause: Fortune dies. Effect: Dr Porter gets his bones to study. The bones got passed down from Dr. Porter to his children and his grand children. Then they went into a museum. From Fortunes death, it had a big effect on the Porter family.
I thought this book was pretty ok. It told a good story from the past. It was kind of boring to read though. There wasn't really a problem to the story. It was just a story of a mans life and didn't go much into detail.
One cause effect from this book is when Fortune dies and Dr Porter gets his bones. Cause: Fortune dies. Effect: Dr Porter gets his bones to study. The bones got passed down from Dr. Porter to his children and his grand children. Then they went into a museum. From Fortunes death, it had a big effect on the Porter family.
I thought this book was pretty ok. It told a good story from the past. It was kind of boring to read though. There wasn't really a problem to the story. It was just a story of a mans life and didn't go much into detail.
November 3, 2019
I feel really torn by this one. The reason for the book (commissioned by the museum that found Fortune’s skeleton and wanted to recover his history) is fascinating, and horrifying. The nod to Thich Nhat Hanh, one of my favourite Buddhists, was lovely too. However, the actual Manumission Requiem left something to be desired. I definitely felt the ties to the church in the Kyrie and the pain in Dinah’s Lament, but overall the whole thing felt a bit flat. Maybe it was just my mood at the time of reading, but I’m still very glad I read it because it’s really interesting to read about Fortune and his family.
January 2, 2019
Short and effective telling with narrative, poems, visuals. Fortune was a slave whose owner was a doctor, when Fortune died, his bones were preserved for medical study. Through generations of docs. the bones were used then donated to the Connecticut museum which houses a display of them.
January 31, 2022
Like? Well, yes in that I learned about events in CT that were never mentioned in all my years of schooling there. It is just unbelievable to read this requiem to Fortune a slave owned by Dr. Perserved Porter of Waterbury, CT. Not going to give any details, just read it.
August 8, 2023
This deals with the skeletal remains of a enslaved man, that at the book’s publication, still on display at Mattatuck Museum of Waterbury Connecticut.
There is still a debate about whether to bury Freedom or leave him on display with all the documentation.
There is still a debate about whether to bury Freedom or leave him on display with all the documentation.
October 29, 2019
Amazing. I've re-read this 50 times. The combination of poetry and archival photos is completely unique, and devastating. This thing is a blueprint for a whole new style of book.
February 19, 2020
moving and complex but I think the language was too simplistic. I enjoyed the balance between the historical records and the imagined poetry.
August 27, 2020
Absolutely fascinating! It had my rapt attention. Not to be confused with Amos Fortune, a young Atmunshi prince who was enslaved and written about by Elizabeth Yates.
January 31, 2022
A unique tribute that creeped me out a bit.
August 2, 2025
Instructive, with beautiful poetry encapsulating the life, and skeletal afterlife, of an 18th-century enslaved Connecticut man.
March 21, 2017
Outstanding. The author made a series of decisions, all brilliant and beautiful, in choosing how to tell this story that would otherwise have been forgotten, and now can't be.
October 30, 2011
OVERVIEW
This is an amazing funeral song, inspired by the compelling story of a man - Fortune - whose story as an enslaved African did not end when he died in 1798. I found this story to be quite sad. The author writes in her preface that Fortune was "freed" from slavery when he died, but I do not see it that way at all. He was not given to his family for burial, hell he was not even buried. Some of the information revealed in this story just straight up made me angry. The wife of Dr. Porter inherited not only Fortune's bones, but also his enslaved wife, Dinah, upon Dr. Porter's death. Mrs. Porter could not stand to be in the same room with Fortune's bones so she would have Dinah clean the room, as well as dust off the skeleton. How absurd and disrespectful. How did she think Dinah felt?! Of course, she did not care. I was just in shock when I read that part of the story. Another part of the story, which made me angry, was the author's note at the end where she wrote that Fortune's cause of death was never clearly defined; however, he was not hanged. Then she went on to write that he died from a quick and sudden injury to his neck similar to whiplash. That definitely sounds like a hanging to me.
Who addresses the ethical issues with respect to Fortune's bones? Although none of his descendants has ever been identified, many people have spoken for Fortune. That is why I particularly liked the poem called Not My Bones, which was sang from Fortune's prospective.
I was left wondering what happened to his children. The story only says that no one knows what happened to Mira, Roxa, and Africa. Although the story does not say that no one knows what happened to Jacob, it does not actually tell what happened to him. I am so curious to learn more about this story.
SPECIFICS
It was a bit of a challenge for me to identify the poetry elements contained in this story. Poetry can be complicated, and I cannot say that I have a lot of experience with it. Like sci-fi and fantasy, poetry is a genre that I am still trying to open my mind up to. However, from what I can tell from reading chapter 6 of TMY, Fortune's Bones is a novel written in verse with elements of a funeral mass. What I especially like about the sound element of the story is the strong emotional tone used in each poetry song. This book is definitely for the middle school aged student.
CURRICULAR CONNECTIONS
In the classroom, I would use Fortune's Bones along with The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks to compare and contrast the events of both their lives and deaths. How are their stories alike? How are they different? For writing, I would have my students write dialogue poems in the voices of Fortune and Henrietta to talk about what Fortune and Henrietta would want to say if they could get a message to both the readers and writers of their stories.
This is an amazing funeral song, inspired by the compelling story of a man - Fortune - whose story as an enslaved African did not end when he died in 1798. I found this story to be quite sad. The author writes in her preface that Fortune was "freed" from slavery when he died, but I do not see it that way at all. He was not given to his family for burial, hell he was not even buried. Some of the information revealed in this story just straight up made me angry. The wife of Dr. Porter inherited not only Fortune's bones, but also his enslaved wife, Dinah, upon Dr. Porter's death. Mrs. Porter could not stand to be in the same room with Fortune's bones so she would have Dinah clean the room, as well as dust off the skeleton. How absurd and disrespectful. How did she think Dinah felt?! Of course, she did not care. I was just in shock when I read that part of the story. Another part of the story, which made me angry, was the author's note at the end where she wrote that Fortune's cause of death was never clearly defined; however, he was not hanged. Then she went on to write that he died from a quick and sudden injury to his neck similar to whiplash. That definitely sounds like a hanging to me.
Who addresses the ethical issues with respect to Fortune's bones? Although none of his descendants has ever been identified, many people have spoken for Fortune. That is why I particularly liked the poem called Not My Bones, which was sang from Fortune's prospective.
I was left wondering what happened to his children. The story only says that no one knows what happened to Mira, Roxa, and Africa. Although the story does not say that no one knows what happened to Jacob, it does not actually tell what happened to him. I am so curious to learn more about this story.
SPECIFICS
It was a bit of a challenge for me to identify the poetry elements contained in this story. Poetry can be complicated, and I cannot say that I have a lot of experience with it. Like sci-fi and fantasy, poetry is a genre that I am still trying to open my mind up to. However, from what I can tell from reading chapter 6 of TMY, Fortune's Bones is a novel written in verse with elements of a funeral mass. What I especially like about the sound element of the story is the strong emotional tone used in each poetry song. This book is definitely for the middle school aged student.
CURRICULAR CONNECTIONS
In the classroom, I would use Fortune's Bones along with The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks to compare and contrast the events of both their lives and deaths. How are their stories alike? How are they different? For writing, I would have my students write dialogue poems in the voices of Fortune and Henrietta to talk about what Fortune and Henrietta would want to say if they could get a message to both the readers and writers of their stories.
October 13, 2009
One of the most unique poetry collections I've read, the Manumission Requiem is a collection of poems, as well as historical information, written in the form of a requiem, words and music written to honor the dead. With the words written with the intent to put them to music, rhythm is obviously very important within these poems.
My favorite part about this collection was the shift in perspective of the narrator. The most powerful was the insight given by the widow of the man whose skeleton was being used for medical research, who remained a slave for the family, as she dusted and swept around the remains of her husband. Reading her words left me with a sick feeling in my stomach, to even try to imagine what the experience must have been like for this woman.
Shifting to the next narrator, one of the doctors using the skeleton to further his research, I found myself feeling somewhat unforgiving of the study that was taking place. To feel so strongly for the widow and then shift points of view to the man using her husband's body is very perplexing.
Although the poems contain many near misses in their rhyming, the rhythm of the reading is apparent and the messages behind these pieces are clear. My favorite is the response written from the perspective of the slave whose skeleton is being used. Emphasis is placed on the repetition of the phrase, "I am not my body." This to me found peace for Fortune and allowed for justification of the research by the doctor and his family.
Lastly, I think it is important to note the insight the author provided readers into the ceremonial New Orleans jazz funerals. Nelson's purpose was to create these pieces as celebrations of Fortune's life, imitating the style used in these jazz funerals. Although there is a somber time to pay respect to the dead, the mood shifts when leaving the cemetery and family and friends join together to honor the dead with singing and dancing. The way Nelson transitioned through the poems in the book to emulate the jazz funeral is brilliant.
My favorite part about this collection was the shift in perspective of the narrator. The most powerful was the insight given by the widow of the man whose skeleton was being used for medical research, who remained a slave for the family, as she dusted and swept around the remains of her husband. Reading her words left me with a sick feeling in my stomach, to even try to imagine what the experience must have been like for this woman.
Shifting to the next narrator, one of the doctors using the skeleton to further his research, I found myself feeling somewhat unforgiving of the study that was taking place. To feel so strongly for the widow and then shift points of view to the man using her husband's body is very perplexing.
Although the poems contain many near misses in their rhyming, the rhythm of the reading is apparent and the messages behind these pieces are clear. My favorite is the response written from the perspective of the slave whose skeleton is being used. Emphasis is placed on the repetition of the phrase, "I am not my body." This to me found peace for Fortune and allowed for justification of the research by the doctor and his family.
Lastly, I think it is important to note the insight the author provided readers into the ceremonial New Orleans jazz funerals. Nelson's purpose was to create these pieces as celebrations of Fortune's life, imitating the style used in these jazz funerals. Although there is a somber time to pay respect to the dead, the mood shifts when leaving the cemetery and family and friends join together to honor the dead with singing and dancing. The way Nelson transitioned through the poems in the book to emulate the jazz funeral is brilliant.
November 19, 2010
Published in 2004 by Hand Print.
Interest Level: 7th-12th Grade
This book of poetry is based on extensive research about a slave named Fortune, his circumstances, and family. Each page of poetry is accompanied by photographs, documents, and first-hand accounts relevant to Fortune's life. It is written in a fashion that is supposed to be construed as a "Manumission Requiem". The endpapers signify the musical nature of this composition and an author's note describes what a requiem is and how Nelson came to compose this book as such.
This book is written from various points of view, for example, Fortune's wife, Fortune himself, and others. Each page is a different poem that explores a different facet of Fortune's life or a different perspective of Fortune's death. On the opposite pages, there are historical photographs and documents with captions. The tone of the poems vary and represent almost oppositional themes of joy and grief, submission and bondage, and slavery and freedom. The verses are mostly written in free verse except for a few structured poems that use the format of the requiem. The poem that particularly struck me was the poem titled "Not My Bones" from the perspective of Fortune and written in a way that addresses the reader directly. This poem is particularly powerful because of the frank tone and metaphorical language that is utilized. This is a quick, short read but each poem could be used independently to create a whole unit around it or an entire research project. I think what would be particularly interesting would be an extensive unit that explored the various facets and themes that this book brings to light.
Interest Level: 7th-12th Grade
This book of poetry is based on extensive research about a slave named Fortune, his circumstances, and family. Each page of poetry is accompanied by photographs, documents, and first-hand accounts relevant to Fortune's life. It is written in a fashion that is supposed to be construed as a "Manumission Requiem". The endpapers signify the musical nature of this composition and an author's note describes what a requiem is and how Nelson came to compose this book as such.
This book is written from various points of view, for example, Fortune's wife, Fortune himself, and others. Each page is a different poem that explores a different facet of Fortune's life or a different perspective of Fortune's death. On the opposite pages, there are historical photographs and documents with captions. The tone of the poems vary and represent almost oppositional themes of joy and grief, submission and bondage, and slavery and freedom. The verses are mostly written in free verse except for a few structured poems that use the format of the requiem. The poem that particularly struck me was the poem titled "Not My Bones" from the perspective of Fortune and written in a way that addresses the reader directly. This poem is particularly powerful because of the frank tone and metaphorical language that is utilized. This is a quick, short read but each poem could be used independently to create a whole unit around it or an entire research project. I think what would be particularly interesting would be an extensive unit that explored the various facets and themes that this book brings to light.
October 30, 2011
Short, but very powerful. This requiem honors a slave who died in Connecticut in 1798. His owner, a doctor, dissected his body, boiling down his bones to preserve them for anatomy studies. The skeleton was lost and rediscovered, then hung in a local museum until 1970, when it was removed from display. A preface lays out the facts of Fortune's life, followed by "Dinah's Lament," in which his wife mourns the husband whose bones she is ordered to dust. Other pieces are in the voices of Fortune's owner, his descendants, workers, and museum visitors. Each page of verse faces a green page containing text and full-color archival graphics that lay out the facts of Fortune's story. This volume sets history and poetry side-by-side and, combined with the author's personal note on inspirations.
April 3, 2012
This is a story about a man named Fortune who is at one point a slave but purchases his freedom. In some sort of accident, he breaks his neck and dies. A local doctor ends up using his body and preserves his bones for scientific and anatomical purposes. There's still a debate today whether this is moral or not regarding his ties to slavery and race.
There are graphic bodily preparations described in detail that could be disturbing (The descriptions served two purposes: to show the emotional effect it had on Fortune's family, and to explain the scientific processes required to preparing his bones for preservation).
There are graphic bodily preparations described in detail that could be disturbing (The descriptions served two purposes: to show the emotional effect it had on Fortune's family, and to explain the scientific processes required to preparing his bones for preservation).
January 14, 2009
This is one of the most powerful books I have ever read. It's brief, maybe 8 poems commissioned by the state of CT to honor Fortune, a slave to a doctor who boiled Fortune to his bones when he died to use for medical study. The bones existed for two neglected centuries in CT until the state created a museum and this requiem mass. It's simply beautiful and at the same time so moving about the terror of being so enslaved that even your bones are not your own. It's appropriate for kids who are maybe 4th grade and older if it is mediated and discussed.
July 30, 2017
The Mattatuck Museum in Connecticut is home to 200 year old skeleton. For many years, no one knew whose skeleton is was; however, after some research, they discovered that it was the skeleton of Fortune, a slave owned by local doctor, Preserved Porter. Through poetry as well as historical sidebars, Marilyn Nelson helps give Fortune an identity, providing details about his life as well as about his skeleton after his death. An interesting and original piece of literature, it's also one worth checking out for the stylistic elements.
January 20, 2016
What a bizarre little book. What a bizarre subject. I loved it. I learned about a physician (bonesetter) who "dissected" his slave and hung his entire skeleton in a room in the house. The slave's poor wife had to dust his bones off because the plantation owner's wife (the wife of the doctor) was creeped out by it. You learn a fascinating but grim true story in prose juxtaposed with a poem's narrated from various perspectives: the slave wife, the doctor, the slave himself, etc. The poetry was in the format of a requiem, and it was beautifully done and morbidly fascinating.
September 16, 2011
A little creepy but powerful and moving story of a slave owned by a doctor who specialized in the setting of broken bones. At the death of this slave, the Dr. "took apart the body". Several generations of the doctor's family used the slaves' bones to study as their early medical training.
"Herewith begins my dissection of
the former body of my former slave,
which served him who served me throughout his life,
and now serves the advance of science."
"Herewith begins my dissection of
the former body of my former slave,
which served him who served me throughout his life,
and now serves the advance of science."
August 14, 2008
Interesting way to give tribute and memorial to a man who helped make advances in medicine. Some actual photos and some copies of documents and portraits. Makes you feel sorry that his bones couldn't rest in peace, but you admire hime for the contributions he made and the care the family took. Coretta Scott King Author Honor book.
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