Human rights has been a fight for decades. What we do or don’t have a right to as human beings, what are we entitled to and what is just a luxury we have to earn, and more importantly, who deserves what? But fighting for it doesn’t mean people will listen. It often occurs that some people will only listen to certain people. Which is why poetry may be an effective tool that can help fight for human rights.

“Some view our stable race with a scornful eye”. Phyllis Wheatley writes this in her poem “On Being Brought from Africa to America”. Which gives a very poetic explanation of how minorities are viewed. People are people, but the differences in us are what start to create these mixed ideas about what actually differentiates one person from the next. Poetry gives the reality of it, the gruesome reality of humanity and yet somehow makes it less harsh. “I love this cultured hell that tests my youth” says Claude McKay in his poem “America”. He turns the harsh treatment he receives from society into something that benefits him. He doesn’t soak in the negativity that derives from such behavior from others. “Giving me strength erect against her hate”. The lack of rights creates more strength to fight for it in his eyes. He takes the “hate” and builds up his strength to better his life and he doesn’t let it keep him down.

Poetry is a device that helps express feelings, good or bad. In this case, poetry is supporting a fight. As humans we have things that obviously make us different, with one things constantly in common. Our humanity, and taking the face away from the fight is in a way a reminder that we are all human. And it shouldn’t matter what you’re seeing, but what you’re hearing.