Can someone help me with this poem? "From the Dark Tower" by Countee Cullen.
I don't know what "dark tower" refers to.
http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/poets/a_f/cullen/darktower.htm
=)
Certainly! "From the Dark Tower" is a poem written by Countee Cullen, an American poet of the Harlem Renaissance. The poem was published in 1927.
To understand what the "dark tower" refers to in the poem, it is important to analyze the context and symbolism within the poem itself. Let's take a closer look at the poem:
We shall not always plant while others reap
The golden increment of bursting fruit,
Not always countenance, abject and mute,
That lesser men should hold their brothers cheap;
Not everlastingly while others sleep
Shall we beguile their limbs with mellow flute,
Not always bend to some more subtle brute;
We were not made eternally to weep.
"The dark tower" mentioned in the poem is a metaphorical representation of the societal constraints and prejudices faced by African Americans during the time of Cullen's writing. It symbolizes oppression, marginalization, and the struggle for equality.
The poem challenges the idea that African Americans should always be relegated to a subordinate position, working for the benefit of others ("plant while others reap") or being silent in the face of discrimination ("countenance, abject and mute"). Cullen argues that African Americans should not always have to yield to an oppressive system represented by the "dark tower."
In essence, "From the Dark Tower" expresses Cullen's desire for equality and justice. It is a call to action, urging African Americans to rise against the limitations placed upon them and reclaim their dignity and worth.
I hope this explanation helps you understand the meaning behind the "dark tower" in Countee Cullen's poem!