From the Dark Tower Essay Questions

What is the main theme of "From The Dark Tower"?

The main idea of the poem is that the exploitation of Black people has to come to an end. The speaker begins by describing how they will no longer "always" thanklessly supply white people with the products of their hard work. They enumerate the ways in which Black communities have been cheated and bullied into giving white individuals the things they want, without any compensation or recognition. Finally, they show hope for a future in which these injustices end and this work can finally benefit Black communities and be appreciated.

How does Cullen use the form of the poem to structure his ideas?

The poem is written as a Petrarchan sonnet. It is broken up into two stanzas, an octave and a sestet. In the first, a problem is stated, and in the second some kind of solution is offered. In the case of this poem, the octave shows the injustice of Black workers being exploited. In response, the sestet expresses quiet optimism for the future, describing the beauty of darkness and caring for seeds. The sonnet gives Cullen the space to break up the mood of the poem, putting moral outrage in the first stanza and cautious hope in the second.