For a Lady I Know
Countee Cullen
She even thinks that up in heaven
Her class lies late and snores,
While poor black cherubs rise at seven
To do celestial chores.
Cherub- A winged angelic being described in biblical tradition as attending on God, regarded in traditional Christian angelology as an angel of the second highest order of the ninefold celestial hierarchy.
Celestial- Belonging or relating to heaven.
I think this poem has to do with slavery or racial issues. Maybe that race or class doesn't matter, but this girl always think it will...The cherub metaphor was interesting because it is an angel, so it is revered in heaven, but at the same time it is the second highest order so maybe it is symbolizing how when whites discriminated they were acting like God, so that was wrong. So, the ironic part of racial issues. It may also be a simpler analogy, that a white lady thinks blacks will always be lower class in heaven...Hmm?
I decided to look more up about the author and this poem. What I found is that Countee Cullen was a poet in the Harlem Renaissance (explains race issues). I also looked up more analysis of this poem and one source said, "presents a satirical view of whites obliviously mistreating their black counterparts as it depicts blacks in heaven doing their "celestial chores" so that upper-class whites can remain in their heavenly beds."
So, I think I was on track(:
I really liked how short and crisp the poem was, it really made it more impactful.
