A Black Man Talks of Reaping

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of racism.

The poem represents the voice of a single Black man, but the Black man symbolizes the larger Black community. The experiences aren’t exclusive to him, as countless Black people have faced a mix of exploitation, racism, and precarity. The speaker symbolizes an agent for the Black community. He’s an ambassador who “talks” about a deep-seated problem. Many Black people—from LeBron James to Bontemps—benefit from their work, but the problem of intergenerational wealth persists. In other words, many Black people still have trouble keeping what they sow. 

The speaker’s struggle mirrors the generational cycle of labor without reward that has historically defined Black existence in America. His sowing and reaping are not individual acts but symbolic of how Black contributions—whether in agriculture, industry, or culture—have often been co-opted or erased. The absence of a personal name for the speaker reinforces his status as a representative figure rather than a singular individual. The use of first-person narration further strengthens the connection between the speaker and the collective Black experience, as he speaks not just for himself but for all those who have labored under unjust conditions.