Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In Kevin Young's poem "Jack Johnson: The Upset," the narrative unfolds through the voice of Jack Johnson, the first African American world heavyweight boxing champion. Johnson narrates the lead-up and progression of his match with Tommy Burns, a fight that was historical both for breaking the color barrier in boxing and for its international spectacle. Young delves deep into themes of race, perception, defiance, and the deeply fraught racial politics of early 20th-century America.

From the opening line, "'Who told you / I was yellow?,'" Johnson challenges societal preconceptions about his worthiness as a boxer and a man. The term "yellow" is both an ethnic slur against Asians and an idiomatic expression denoting cowardice. Johnson's quip not only underscores how he has been unjustly classified but also throws the taunt back at Burns, questioning who told Burns he could escape facing him. The initial avoidance of Burns to engage in a match with Johnson and his flight to countries like Britain and France is captured in the line, "my fists the way / he'd avoided me, / running / farther-Britain / France."

The poem is set in Sydney Stadium, where Burns no longer has the luxury of hiding behind a "color line" or spinning "lies bout / my coward streak." Here, Johnson makes a powerful point about how institutional racism often hides behind seemingly innocuous boundaries and rules, euphemistically referred to as "color lines." When they finally face off, the odds initially favor Burns, but as Johnson gains the upper hand, he mockingly says, "'You're white, dead / scared white / as the flag of surrender.'" This line is a stinging rebuke to the racial stereotypes of the time, flipping the script on a white man cowering before a black man.

The boxing match evolves into a form of dialogue-punches and jabs translate into a Morse code that challenges societal perceptions about race. The reaction of Teddy Roosevelt, who apparently couldn't "stand / to hear over the wire," serves as a metonym for white America's unwillingness to acknowledge black prowess and humanity. Johnson's victory becomes an act of defiance, a symbolic blow against the racist attitudes of the time.

Structurally, the poem does not rely on a conventional rhyming scheme or stanza form, which reflects Johnson's nonconformist, rule-defying life. The quick pacing and varied line lengths echo the rhythms and tensions of a boxing match. Young expertly uses enjambment to drive the reader through the poem, just as Johnson drives his fists into Burns, and the world, to make his point.

In terms of themes and style, "Jack Johnson: The Upset" stands as an exploration of a historical moment that resonates across time. It is not just about a boxing match but serves as an allegory for the black experience in America, where the fight is as much against societal perceptions and institutional barriers as it is against any individual opponent. In recounting this watershed moment in sports history, Young opens up a conversation about race, identity, and the struggles that continue to define America.

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