Rebellion Poem- Hans Stromberg

Booker T. and W.E.B.

Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois

By Dudley Randall
"It seems to me," said Booker T.,
"It shows a mighty lot of cheek
To study chemistry and Greek
When Mister Charlie needs a hand
To hoe the cotton on his land,
And when Miss Ann looks for a cook,
Why stick your nose inside a book?"

"I don't agree," said W.E.B.
"If I should have the drive to seek
Knowledge of chemistry or Greek,
I'll do it. Charles and Miss can look
Another place for hand or cook,
Some men rejoice in skill of hand,
And some in cultivating land,
But there are others who maintain
The right to cultivate the brain."

"It seems to me," said Booker T.,
"That all you folks have missed the boat
Who shout about the right to vote,
And spend vain days and sleepless nights
In uproar over civil rights.
Just keep your mouths shut, do not grouse,
But work, and save, and buy a house."

"I don't agree," said W.E.B.
"For what can property avail
If dignity and justice fail?
Unless you help to make the laws,
They'll steal your house with trumped-up clause.
A rope's as tight, a fire as hot,
No matter how much cash you've got.
Speak soft, and try your little plan,
But as for me, I'll be a man."

"It seems to me," said Booker T.--

"I don't agree,"
Said W.E.B.

Randall, Dudley. "Booker T. and W.E.B." Literature and Composition Reading Writing Thinking. Boston * New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2011. 932. Print.

"Poetry is man's rebellion against what he is" is a very clever statement, easily summing up what poetry really is. In "Booker T. and W.E.B." Randall is showing that his poetry is two men rebelling against each other rather than a man rebelling against what he is. This poem was written in 1969 during a time of turmoil in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement. Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois were two very important leaders in the civil rights movement. However, that may be their only similarity because both men ad very different viewpoints on how African Americans can secure financial prosperity in America during that time period. DuBois wanted the African American to gain financial prosperity through education while Washington wanted the African American man to gain prosperity through manual labor. This is the rebellion: the two opposing viewpoints. This piece of poetry responds by showing this conflict and rebellion to show the turmoil of the time period during the civil rights movement.