I AM the nigger.
Singer of songs,
Dancer. . .
Softer than fluff of cotton. . .
Harder than dark earth
Roads beaten in the sun
By the bare feet of slaves. . .
Foam of teeth. . . breaking crash of laughter. . .
Red love of the blood of woman,
White love of the tumbling pickaninnies. . .
Lazy love of the banjo thrum. . .
Sweated and driven for the harvest-wage,
Loud laugher with hands like hams,
Fists toughened on the handles,
Smiling the slumber dreams of old jungles,
Crazy as the sun and dew and dripping, heaving life
of the jungle,
Brooding and muttering with memories of shackles:
I am the nigger.
Look at me.
I am the nigger.
Nigger
Analysis, meaning and summary of Carl Sandburg's poem Nigger
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This poem is bad..for back in the days but not its just funny to see a white men worry about the black man! he betta get gone! forreal
i want to know why did he used this word. he knew this word used toward blacks in a racial way.
I like this poem because he put him self in other shoes. He also described in a little details of a black person. He also not only did that but showed sort of the strength of a black person.
Wow this is a very cute poem about blacks
I am black. This is a beautiful poem. Written about a time I thankfully did not live in, but a time made plain and clear by Mr. Sandburg’s prose. I could see the slave, “nigger,” perhaps my great uncle or great grandfather. This is not a derogatory poem at all. The subject is unfortunate, but it also just true to life.
You insane idiots, you crazy racists. The man does not think he is black, he is not mocking black people, he is using the word “nigger” as an interpretation, if anything he feels bad for you, stop just looking at a poems title and judging it you morons, im not judging blacks, but you are way to sensitive, and you want to go beat him up? HES DEAD AND BURIED YOU IDIOT.
I see you’ve all noticed that the title of the poem is a racial slur. Next, maybe some of you could try reading the poem. Or not commenting on it. Choose one. You’re not commenting on the poem, you’re commenting on the title. This was not written by a racist or a “wigger”. I’m trying not to flame here, but it’s hard to resist… Did you honestly read past the first line? Or did you just see “I AM the nigger” and assume you knew the rest?
Hey, this poem is really bad, he should’nt be dis’in black peeps whoever put their name as kkk can go to *!!@@. Jack-****
so childish every1 is the same it does not matter the colour of skin!!!!!!
At first glance, it is simple to see why people are so offended by this poem. But it is such a wrong interpretation! For lallapalloosa and coolio dawg – Carl Sandburg is not black, nor does he think he is! You completely lost the point, saw it out of context. Absorb the poem. Sandburg is celebrating a rich history and flavorful vocabulary. He is not using derogatory phrases he is celebrating not only a race but a people. Not just black people, but all people. He is even featuring himself inside the poem. He is comparing himself to an outsider and celebrating the beauty of the difference. It is completely ignorant when people think he is trying to be black or degrading a black man – and frankly, I think it shows alot of insecurity to think that! Everything in the world isn’t black or white. And he is portraying exactly that in this rich and beautiful context.
wat up with the? im the best rapper in my hood, how about u g-dawg wannabe?
This poem is so racist!!!!!! wat a wigger carl sandburg was!!!! he thinks he is black!!!! White people need to stop trying to be black, They put us through slavery and dis us. and then they wanna be like us. ???????? what the hell???
The term “nigger” in this poem is not meant to be derogatory, but rather describes the term that people used back during Carl Sandburg’s life to describe a black person. I think this poem is genius, because of the way Sandburg writes in the point of view of a simple “nigger”, reminiscing on the past. The last three lines have the most impact of all: “I am the nigger. Look at me. I am the nigger.” This poem is genius!
This poem is just trying to tell u that blacks are bad, AND I THINK THAT IS BULLSHIT
This poem describes a lot about the era that Carl was from. Reread the poem to understand its full content, for it does describe what Carl saw. Now time has changed , but history will always be with us. We cannot change the past but we can make a difference for the future.
This is a brilliant poem. It is filled with depth and emotion. It shows the black man the way Sandburg saw him: lively, strong, and always searching. In Snadburg’s poem, the black man dreams of jungles, and remembers the shackles with spitefulness. He is a man trying to find identity (longing for the return to his native land). He is a fighter and a lover. Sandburg saw a man who was proud.
Carl Sandburg is WHITE! Damn white boys trying to be black….
I think that this is wrong cause u can get in trouble for RACISM!!!
So,NEVER EVER send me ne more of this crap!
GOOD BYE
Many of you are taking his poem out of context. He is simply making an observation of the man utilizing the terminology of the day. In retrospect being a thinking people without racial sterotypes or hatred, we can look at it as it was intended…. An “in camera” observation by one of the great poets of the time period. My race happens to be from Europe (white), but we are all just men and women, not black and white men and women…. All human.
i am a nigger