thousand blows let us deal one deathblow! (10-11) He knows that they have nothing left to lose but their pride. He inquires of his readers, What though before us lies the open grave? (12) In his second section, and final two lines, McKays tone changes slightly. If in the first 12 lines he was pleading that if they must die, let it not be like animals and in the final lines he offers his solution that they instead should die like men. He climaxes protesting that Like men well face the murderous, cowardly pack/ Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back! (13-14) Again he refers to the enemy as a pack- most likely alluding to his previous metaphor of the enemy as dogs. This time however, he refers to himself and his followers as men. He knows that although they have been treated and looked upon as animals their entire lives, they do in fact have the ability to be men. It is not outside their reach or dreams. Full of force and even satisfaction that by doing this, something great will be accomplished, McKay instills in all of his readers the sense that this is the only option that will grant them the dignity they have always desired. With this poem McKay gives to his readers a sense of pride and most of all a sense of hope. It was the hope that maybe someday they would be looked at and treated with the respect that they deserved. Although most agree that this poem was written for blacks and against whites, anyone who has ever felt the pain of victimization or humiliation could easily relate. It gives one the sense that pride is worth something still when all else is gone- that no matter how little one may have left or have had taken away, he or she can never be robbed of his or her pride....
