She would go to the big library uptown and I now know Hat in hand to ask to borrow so that I might borrow... But she nonetheless brought the books Back and I held them to my chest Close to my heart How does the time period in which the poem takes place contribute to the reader’s understanding of this excerpt? It shows how books provided the speaker with an escape from social injustices. It illustrates how involved people were with the social conflicts in society and what they did to overcome them. It gives the reader a clear picture of what Mrs. Long considered to be the most important issues of her day. It provides specific details about what the speaker and the people in her community thought about civil rights.