Just as coal becomes a diamond under extreme pressure, the poem suggests that Black people can transform their suffering and "total blackness" into something valuable and radiant—a "jewel in your open light".
The episode title references the core metaphor of Lorde's 1968 poem: [S2E3] Is the Total Black, Being Spoken
The poem also touches on how words are "coloured by who pays what for speaking," reflecting the social and economic power structures that influence how marginalized voices are heard or silenced. Just as coal becomes a diamond under extreme
The line "I / Is the total black, being spoken" suggests that the speaker's identity is inseparable from their Blackness and that this identity is forged and expressed through language. Siobhan receives positive news while she continues to
Siobhan receives positive news while she continues to plan her run for a seat on the City Council.
" Is the Total Black, Being Spoken " is the third episode of the second season of the crime drama series . Its title is taken from the opening lines of the poem " Coal " by Audre Lorde , which explores themes of Black identity, the power of language, and the transformation of individual experience into something visible and beautiful. Plot Summary
Jimmy Ryan finds himself facing problems that are significantly more dangerous than his own guilty conscience. Title Significance: " Coal " by Audre Lorde