To America

James Weldon Johnson 1871 (Jacksonville) – 1938 (Wiscasset)



How would you have us, as we are?
Or sinking 'neath the load we bear?
Our eyes fixed forward on a star?
Or gazing empty at despair?

Rising or falling? Men or things?
With dragging pace or footsteps fleet?
Strong, willing sinews in your wings?
Or tightening chains about your feet?

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 24, 2023

15 sec read
132

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABAB CDCD
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 281
Words 53
Stanzas 2
Stanza Lengths 4, 4

James Weldon Johnson

James Weldon Johnson was an American author, educator, lawyer, diplomat, songwriter, and early civil rights activist. Johnson is best remembered for his leadership within the NAACP as well as for his writing, which includes novels, poems, and anthologies. He was also the first African-American professor at New York University. Later in life he was a professor of creative literature and writing at Fisk University. more…

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    "To America" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 31 Oct. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/20746/to-america>.

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