Analysis of Not to be white
Norm Singer 1932 (New Jersey)
You can never stand in Black peoples shoes
to feel how they are still so abused
You can never relate to Black peoples plight
simply because They're just not white
You can never know try as you like
just what it's like not to be white
You can't know what it's like
what it's like not to be liked
because you're just not white
simply because you're just not white
No You can't know
You can't know
you can't possibly know what it's like
Not to be white
And you can't know what it's like
When they won't let you sit down for a bite
because you're just not white
simply because you're just not white
no you can't know
you can't know
You can't possibly know what it's like
Not to be white
And you can't know what it's like
when hotels won't let you stay for a night
because you're just not white
simply because you're just not white
no you can't know
you can't know
you can't possibly know
what it's like
Not to be white
And you can't know what it's like
when you move next door they take flight
because you're just not white
simply because you're just not white
no you can't know
you can't know
you can't possibly know what it's like
Not to be white
And you can't know what it's like
when teachers think your kids can't be bright
because they're just not white
simply because they're just not white
no you can't know
you can't know
you can't possibly know what it's like
Not to be white
And you can't know what it's like
when you're turned down for a job at first sight
because you're just not white
simply because you're just not white
no you can't know
you can't know
you can't possibly know what it's like
Not to be white
And you can't know what it's like
when your vote is denied as your right
because you're just not white
simply because you're just not white
no you can't know
you can't know
you can't possibly know what it's like
Not to be white
And you can't know what it's like
when you get pulled over by a cop at a light
because you're just not white
simply because you're just not white
no you can't know
you can't know
you can't possibly know what it's like
Not to be white
And you can't know what it's like
when a lynch mob threatens your life
because you're just not white
simply because you're just not white
no you can't know
you can't possibly know what it's like
Not to be white
It's so sad to have to say
this is still how it is today
in the good old USA
and a hell of a price to pay
Scheme | xx aA ba bxAACCBA BaAACCBA BaAACCcbA BaAACCBA BaaACCBA BaAACCBA BaAACCBA BaAACCBA BxAACBA dddd |
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Poetic Form | |
Metre | 1110101101 111111101 11100111101 10011111 111011111 11111111 111111 1111111 011111 10011111 1111 111 111001111 1111 0111111 1111111101 011111 10011111 1111 111 111001111 1111 0111111 1011111101 011111 10011111 1111 111 111001 111 1111 0111111 11111111 011111 10011111 1111 111 111001111 1111 0111111 110111111 011111 10011111 1111 111 111001111 1111 0111111 1111101111 011111 10011111 1111 111 111001111 1111 0111111 111101111 011111 10011111 1111 111 111001111 1111 0111111 111110101101 011111 10011111 1111 111 111001111 1111 0111111 10111011 011111 10011111 1111 111001111 1111 1111111 11111101 0011111 00110111 |
Closest metre | Iambic trimeter |
Characters | 2,478 |
Words | 489 |
Sentences | 1 |
Stanzas | 13 |
Stanza Lengths | 2, 2, 2, 8, 8, 9, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 7, 4 |
Lines Amount | 82 |
Letters per line (avg) | 23 |
Words per line (avg) | 6 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 142 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 36 |
About this poem
came to me in a dream
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Written on January 15, 2022
Submitted by norman.singer.32 on January 29, 2022
Modified on April 24, 2023
- 2:50 min read
- 71 Views
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"Not to be white" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 3 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/119685/not-to-be-white>.
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