For a Lady I Know

For a Lady I Know
Countee Cullen
She even thinks that up in heaven
Her class lies late and snores,
While poor black cherubs rise at seven
To do celestial chores.

Well here we go for poem number two that has stumped me; though there is not a whole lot of poem to draw from.

First off when speaking of cherubs and classes, I think the ABAB rhyme is quite fitting making the feel of it childlike. But as to what the theme pertains to, I’m pretty sure it is on the inequality of black and white children.

In the poem I feel is based on a teacher who is troubled by the fact that even in heaven (a place of justice and fairness) that the white kids in her class would still be allowed to sleep in as the black “cherubs” would do the work that needed to be done in heaven, though I don’t know how labor intensive those jobs might be.

And that’s about it.

Happy reading.