What's the meaning of this poem, or what does it make you think or feel?

Question

You declare you see me dimly
through a glass which will not shine,
though I stand before you boldly,
trim in rank and marking time.
You do own to hear me faintly
as a whisper out of range,
while my drums beat out the message
and the rhythms never change.

Equality, and I will be free.
Equality, and I will be free.

You announce my ways are wanton,
that I fly from man to man,
but if I'm just a shadow to you,
could you ever understand ?

We have lived a painful history,
we know the shameful past,
but I keep on marching forward,
and you keep on coming last.

Equality, and I will be free.
Equality, and I will be free.

Take the blinders from your vision,
take the padding from your ears,
and confess you've heard me crying,
and admit you've seen my tears.

Hear the tempo so compelling,
hear the blood throb in my veins.
Yes, my drums are beating nightly,
and the rhythms never change.

Equality, and I will be free.
Equality, and I will be free.

And just so you know, this is for school, i just can't figure it out.

I'm not great with poetry.

Answer 1

It seems that the writer is talking about his situation of suffering and yearning to be free of pain throughh equality of life; such as, a slave wanting to be treat as an equal human being but the master refused or chose not to see the suffering and hear the cry for freedom throug equality. The writer also stated at the end that when the master or the person he is intended to hear his cry heard him, he will be free. From the beginning to the end, you can hear the writer is pleading for equality of life. Hope this help:)

Answer 2

Seems to me that this poem talks about a person enslaved by someone who is aware but then does nothing about it.
Like for example the govt. they are aware our current situation but then they pretend that everything is ok.

' You declare you see me dimly
through a glass which will not shine,
though I stand before you boldly,
trim in rank and marking time.
You do own to hear me faintly
as a whisper out of range,
while my drums beat out the message
and the rhythms never change."

Answer 3

I also believe that it is a peom on Women's equality, not racial equality. It may even be a modern peice. I think the writer was frustrated that people have not corrected their ways ('Take the blinders from your vision') even though they could (They just don't want to see the problem.'
It is also a very determined poem 'Equality, and I will be free' comes up three times, and always doubled as the refrain.
I also think it might be a personal poem, because their are references to a 'you' that seem to direct to be more than one person, and the 'beating.... rythms' also seem to be a personal thing.

Answer 4

I think they are talking about womens equality and how it feels to be a woman, overlooked by man, treated unfairly, unheard, and never truly seen for what she is. She is asserting herself, saying she won't be defeated, she won't change, she is here, ever present, a living breathing soul, fighting for equality.

"You announce my ways are wanton,
that I fly from man to man,"

this indicated to me that she is a woman.

Well since I'm a woman it makes me feel empowered and sad at the same time because this woman is fighting so hard.

Answer 5

I agree with those who say it is about the equality of women -- but I suspect that it may also be a lament about insubstantial love.

Answer 6

It sounds like it's from a black perspective, talking about racism and being ignored. It's very uplifting and inspiring.

Answer 7

Not to sound like a racist, but it comes accross like a minority group wanting to be equal to everyone else.