<Tab/>In the poem "If We Must Die" by Claude McKay, the author cries out to his audience -to his men at arms- to fight back against those that oppress them and are intent to kill them. Though not as rich in poetic symbolism as the poems by Emily Dickinson and George Herbert, McKay's poem evokes a stronger and more inspiring emotional reaction. He achieves this through his rhyme and rhythm scheme, through alliteration and repetition, and through animal imagery. They shall be examined in reverse order.
<Tab/>The first two lines of McKay's poem, "If we must die, le…
