Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, NIGGER, by CARL SANDBURG


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

NIGGER, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: I am the nigger
Last Line: I am the nigger.
Subject(s): African Americans; Racism; Negroes; American Blacks; Racial Prejudice; Bigotry


I AM the nigger.
Singer of songs,
Dancer. . .
Softer than fluff of cotton. . .
Harder than dark earth
Roads beaten in the sun
By the bare feet of slaves. . .
Foam of teeth . . . breaking crash of laughter. . .
Red love of the blood of woman,
White love of the tumbling pickaninnies. . .
Lazy love of the banjo thrum. . .
Sweated and driven for the harvest-wage,
Loud laugher with hands like hams,
Fists toughened on the handles,
Smiling the slumber dreams of old jungles,
Crazy as the sun and dew and dripping, heaving life of the jungle,
Brooding and muttering with memories of shackles:
I am the nigger.
Look at me.
I am the nigger.





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