If we must die, let it not be like hogs

Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot,

While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs,

Making their mock at our accursèd lot.

If we must die, O let us nobly die,

So that our precious blood may not be shed

In vain; then even the monsters we defy

Shall be constrained to honor us though dead!

O kinsmen! we must meet the common foe!

Though far outnumbered let us show us brave,

And for their thousand blows deal one death-blow!

What though before us lies the open grave?

Like men we’ll face the murderous, cowardly pack,

Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!

---

This sonnet, “If We Must Die” is about the oppression that Black people face. In this poem, the speaker speaks collectively about a group of people, one that he belongs to. This poem was written during Red Summer, a time period after World War 1 when African-American soldiers of the US Army faced discrimination and oppression. In the poem, the speaker refers back to how African Americans were wrongfully treated as a race to put blame for the war. Claude McKay, the speaker, offers a solution to this racism by telling his colored audience to fight back, or even commit suicide in order to escape the oppression. 

Shakespearean Sonnet

→ This poem is a sonnet. More specifically, it is a Shakespearean Sonnet which means that it has a rhyming couplet at the end. Additionally, I think this couplet is almost like an ode to death to convey that death is an event that has to happen regardless. Furthermore, the poet is telling his audience to die properly; die for their freedom and as a means of escape. 

“If we must die, let it not be like hogs” – Line 1

→ This line starts off the tone and mood of the poem. Initially, before reading the background of this poem, I thought this poem was about appreciating death, however, I was wrong. This poem is about appreciating death in some manner, however, it is not positive. This first line is calling the audience to tell them something important. The line is telling them to never die a random death, such as those that are forgotten, just like the death of the pigs taken to the slaughterhouse. McKay is asking his audience to die with a reason, specifically, he wants others to see that these deaths have importance, and they are not random and useless just because they are Black. 

“While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs” – Line 3

→ This line from the poem shows how the speaker is acknowledging the fact that there are people in his environment/community who do not believe in their success. Additionally, he is trying to convey that these people who are against them are waiting for the downfall of these African Americans. McKay is telling his audience that all it takes for the others- the white people of the US- to place some blame on the black community is for one of these people to do something bad. Then it would be easier to blame all of them for for the “bad happenings” in the nation. 

“Making their mock at our accurséd lot” – Line 4

→ This line, specifically the word, “accurséd” is very important. The word “accurséd” refers to the African-American race with a negative diction; it shows that these people are under a “curse”. Therefore, attempting to make the connection that they are not good people. The way this word is used also shows that these people are victims of racial discrimination and racism, but the oppressors believe they deserve it. 

“If we must die, O let us nobly die” – Line 5

→ This line in the poem is telling the audience once again that their lives and deaths should be important. The author is making the announcement that these deaths should be given humanity and importance. Additionally, the main statement the author is trying to make is that these African Americans facing this discrimination and racial bias should die for a certain purpose; a reason that will have them remembered. 

“then even the monsters we defy, shall be constrained to honor us from the dead!” – Lines 7/8

→ These two lines hold a lot of importance because there is a caesura at the end of line 8. These lines are once again telling the audience that their deaths should be meaningful, however, they should be so noble, that the people against them will be forced to honor them. Moreover, the oppressors should give them no reason to the African Americans, and the African Americans should prove them wrong. 

---

“how much history is enough history…leaving laptops to be lost in the wet along with housecats and Christ’s own mother ”

→ The beginning of this poem starts off with a questioning and slightly harsh tone. Akbar is questioning the idea of learning and is yearning for a new end. He is basically asking for an end to repetitive teachings when he asks, “how much history is enough history”. It is almost like Akbar is asking for a fresh start, which he does include when he says, “to wash everything and start over”. When Akbar says, “leaving laptops to be lost in the wet along with housecats and Christ’s own mother”, he is almost referencing the idea of a post-apocalyptic world where humanity has had to leave behind things dear to them in order to change their way of life to achieve survival. After reading the entire poem, I’ve come to the conclusion that Akbar is tired of his current life and he was some type of thrill to make his life a little different. He wants to break the repetitive and boring pattern of life. In the poem, his wanting for new starts is heavily emphasized when he says, “I just want”. 

“I’ve been so young for so many years it’s all starting to jumble together   joy jeweling copper”

→ The sentence structure of this poem is very odd because there is no punctuation until the very end. He uses a sort of spaced-out enjambment of his thoughts, feelings, and actions. Here in this quote, he introduces the idea that he is not so young anymore because he has lived through his young years for quite some time now and is aging. When Akbar states that the years of his young life are, “all starting to jumble together”, he means that it is repetitive and all seem to be the same. He wants the reader to infer that there has really been nothing new in his life for many years now. There is a pause between the first part of the quote, “I’ve been so young for so many years it’s all starting to jumble together”  and the second part of the quote, “joy jeweling copper”. The pause is used to represent what he thinks of his life. Over time, as copper is exposed to the elements, it changes color. Similarly, Akbar is telling his readers that the once bright copper, covered in joy and all the happy things in life is fading away. He means that his boring life is brushing off onto the copper which will slowly cause it to change color, like a mint green color that takes over like a hard-to-remove plaque. Akbar is afraid that he is falling into this plaque trap because his life is constant without the changes he seeks. 

“my father believed in gardens     delighting at burying each thing in its potential for growth   some years the soil was so hard the water seeped down slower than the green seeped up”

→ Later in the poem, Akbar brings up his dad, who is assumed to be dead because of his use of past tense for the word believe. Akbar says, “believed”. This fact allows us as readers to understand that Akbar may dwell on his father’s words and listen to his fatherly advice now that he is gone. Akbar does say that he, “never had a yard” to convey the idea that he did try to listen to his father’s words, but quite literally could not. Akbar’s father says that the garden was, “delighting at burying each thing in its potential for growth    some years the soil was so hard the water seeped down slower than the green seeped up”, to convey the idea that good things take time. By saying this, he wanted Akbar to see that changes would take time to start, but the benefits would be greater in the end. 

Overall, the point Akbar was trying to make in this poem is that joy takes time, just like all good things. Towards the end of the poem, it seems like Akbar wants to tie loose ends. The first bit of his life may have been repetitive, but he has looked forward to change and embraces the idea that it takes time. 

“A lamb… her blood pooled on the porch. My uncle stepped away from the puddle, called it a Good omen for the tomatoes”

→ In the Islamic culture, there is a prayer and practice that must take place before and after killing an animal for food. The prayer is said before the death, which is done to thank the animal and pay tribute to Allah’s wishes. After the animal’s death, it ensured that the blood from the arteries were fully drained, a practice necessary for the purity requested by Allah. Akbar describes this practice of making meat a Halal meat through his uncle’s actions. When the uncle lets the lamb’s blood pool, he is allowing the lamb’s blood to be removed from its system. When the uncle says the blood is a “good omen for the tomatoes”, he means that the blood going into the soil will bring extra fruitful life to the tomatoes growing nearby. This practice is not only a good omen for the tomatoes, but also for Akbar and his uncle (for their consumption). 

 “The barbarism of eating anything seems almost unbearable” 

→ The title of Akbar’s book is called Calling a Wolf a Wolf. It is ironic that his title, a title which seems to talk about the greediness, ferocity, and tendencies of a wolf is linked to how “eating anything” seems barbaric and is “almost unbearable”. This feeling of Akbar may have an underlying reason such as being guilty for watching that lamb die in the previous stanza. I just thought this line stood out to me because that is how the second stanza starts. 

“With drinking however I’ve always been prodigious”

→ Akbar’s small confession to being an alcoholic initiates the shift which allows the true contrast to be seen later on. . The poem starts off with a memory of his uncle, but then shifts to how he says he feels different with drinking. By saying, “with drinking however I’ve always been prodigious”, Akbar conveys the idea that he has never held back when drinking. In contrast to his feelings of barbaric eating, he feels no guilt for being an alcoholic. 

“A garden bucket filled with cream would disappear, and seconds later I’d emerge patting my belly”

→ Akbar talks about his alcoholism and how he was severely addicted. He describes a big bucket to showcase the real life comparison of drinking multiple drinks. This imagery allows the reader to visualize just how much alcohol Akbar consumes. Akbar also talks about how he drinks quickly, “would disappear”, which means that he was drinking in a greedy manner. Patting his belly indicates that drinking was the only thing that satisfied him (he clearly states earlier in the poem that he does not feel guilty for drinking like this).

“Even the terminal dryness of bone hides inside our skin plainly, like dust on a mirror” 

→ Akbar describes his inner state of being as “terminal dryness of bone hides inside our skin plainly” which refers to the idea of hiding who he actually is. He was an alcoholic at this point, but hid his addiction. However, hiding his addiction was not enough, and this line implies that he could not always hide his true self. By saying, “like dust on a mirror”, Akbar is able to convey the idea that things slowly build over time, just like his addiction. Dust is also an indication that something has been sitting for a while to a point where it can build up. The dust represents a build up of secrecy and self-resentment; Akbar says that he started changing his ways after noticing the severity of his addiction. 

Welcome to your brand new blog at Edublogs!

To get started, simply visit your blog’s dashboard, edit or delete this post and check out all the other options available to you.

Like more help?

We can walk you through step-by-step in our guide to getting started with your blog.

Happy blogging!