Whether it's a poem, a situation, or someone in particular, we as a society are told not to judge a book by its cover, not to judge someone until you get to know them, or without discovering their underlying message. In Blues Spiritual for Mammy Prater by Dionne Brand and This Is a Photograph of Me by Margaret Atwood, both texts must be examined thoroughly before reaching any conclusions. Both authors incorporate photography to paint a picture for their readers. In doing so, Brand defines slavery through an artistic perspective and points to aspects of time, physical appearance, and his outlook on life, which brings to life the consequences of a former slave. In contrast to this, Atwood incorporates the same three aspects into his work and as a result, both texts are much similar than originally thought. An important concept encrypted in Dionne Brand's lyric poem, Blues Spiritual for Mammy Prater, is time. Continuously, the words "she waited" are seen repeated one or more times in each stanza. First of all it is clear that he waited 115 years, but for what? They say a picture is worth a thousand words and improving the photography is one of the things Mammy was waiting for in order to receive the image quality she wanted and deserved." Her days of waiting for this photograph were all that she kept sane, she planned it until the day,” (Brand, 42-4) After living 115 years of her life, she is seen as a survivor for having survived slavery. Mammy Prater wanted to wait until she was free to take her self-portrait, as she did not want to be remembered and seen as a slave. He needed to make sure that his eyes had seen his life and captured the world for what it is. .... in the center of the card ... for what she had done for herself and alone for her future. Advances in photography have been instrumental in helping her absorb all her memories, values, rights, essentially her life into a single image that others like her would see that survival is possible. Margaret Atwood uses photography to her advantage by creating an image in which the camera can initialize more than the person taking the shot, therefore revealing that there is more. image of what it looks like.Works CitedMoss, Laura, and Cynthia Conchita. Sugars. “Spiritual Blues for Mammy Prater.” …….Canadian literature in English: texts and contexts. vol. 2. Toronto: Pearson …….Education, 2009. Print.Moss, Laura and Cynthia Conchita. Sugars. "This is a photograph of me." Canadian ……..Literature in English: texts and contexts. vol. 2. Toronto: Pearson Education, …….2009. Press.