Questions to Consider (and answer):
Why is McKay's work considered radical?
What is the tone of this poem?
What might have been a potential repercussion, had his work been circulated to white
audiences?
Analyze the poem for literary elements. Without identifying the lines that possess such, what
literary elements can you identify, based on your reading of the poem?
The Task
After reading the poem, explain what McKay is expressing in a well-written paragraph in which you
address the queries above. You will need to have this completed, so that we can develop a better
understanding of the poem's technical structure.