When poets refer to other great works, people, and events, it’s usually not accidental. Put on your super-sleuth hat and figure out why.
Historical References
- "Stony the road we trod" (11): This is a reference to African-Americans' long struggle for freedom.
- "Bitter the chastening rod" (12): This is a reference to the violence that African-Americans had to endure in America—first as slaves, and then, after the abolishment of slavery in 1865, as second-class citizens who were often the targets of violence.