Browse Items (23 total)

This poem contrasts the longings of two Mexican men. The first, "born into Gayety Hall," feels out of place during a visit to Mexico and wishes to be back home in busy Manhattan. The second, born in Mexico, is in the setting that the first dreams of,…

This poem describes a foreign slave auction from two perspectives. The first is of someone excited by the atmosphere who describes the actions of participating "Arabs" and Africans in detail, also using the exclamation "Allah!" at some points. This…

This poem by Chack Kwong Wong describes the poet's longing for home and feeling “alone in this foreign land.” Wong was native to Canton, China.

This poem by a white student describes two "bums," one black and one white, who ultimately realize that, despite their differences and the oppressive attitudes of the white person towards the black person, each is the only friend that the other has.

This poem is a celebration of the narrator's "angel," a black woman with "coca skin" and "dark softness." It was the only poem by a black student in the 1984 Messenger.

This poem details the sloppiness and ungratefulness of students and contrasts it with the diligent and thankless work that janitors do to keep campus clean. The race dynamics of this relationship are not mentioned, but this piece is paired with a…

This poem from the 1954 Messenger addresses a bumpy city bus that the narrator rides, urging it to pay attention to the people that ride it. This narrator speculates about the lives and personalities of some assumedly white riders before listing off…

In this poem, writer R. A. S. states his admiration for Pocahontas. He contrasts her with her native people, the "fierce Indian lads," whom he likens to barbarians. Through this poem, the author portrays his negative views on indigenous people in…

This poem by Poon Kant Mok of the 1927 graduating class describes separation between the narrator and a hesitant lover who ultimately leaves him. The narrator encourages this lover, whom he calls "Far-to-seek," to keep going despite him.

The narrator of this poem claims that, if he were black, he wouldn't mind being turned away from a white cemetery. The poem finishes by arguing that "it's white of them to give what tantamounts to [an integrated world], and makes us all, for what…