For A Lady I Know by Countee Cullen

This poem, while short, is full of bitterness. Cullen was an African-American born at the beginning of the 20th century. Cullen's life experiences are encompassed in this poem. It is about a woman, presumably white, that thinks that, even in heaven, she will be served by "black cherubs". This shows the impossibility of the idea of equality for blacks and whites in the 20's and 30's.  If a woman thought it so natural to be served by blacks that heaven would be that way, the fight for equality would be hopeless. The poem is very simple consisting of two couplets and an ABAB rhyme scheme. It flows well and is almost forgotten as soon as it's read. It is so short that it has to be read several times in order to grasp the full meaning. The images of heaven and cherubs throw the reader off a little. Both are usually associated with good and positive messages, but on closer inspection, this poem is not about an uplifting subject.