America, I am Waiting..

It is sometimes difficult to live in a country filled with racism, or a country where one may feel like there is nothing left to be discovered. During the 1920's and on, our country continued to go through series of  oppression, renaissance, and other new beginnings. Claude McKay's poem,  "America" as well as Lawrence Ferlinghetti's, "I Am Waiting" show just how people may have reacted to all of these changes. McKay's speaker, who could be an immigrant, or some type of minority clearly still loves America because it makes him grow to be a stronger person. He explains how his dramatic hate for the country gives him strength. He believes that although america is a huge country, he is still willing to put up a fight against it like "a rebel fronts a king in a state." He is not afraid of it and simply looks toward the future. He sees how strong and great America is and he appreciates it for all its beauty, knowing that with hard work comes great benefits. Ferlinghetti's poem is very powerful, using sarcasm and a re-occurance of the phrase, "I am Waiting", to illustrate its message. "I am Waiting" talks about social and historical issues that may concern people in America. The speaker in the poem very casually mentions that he is "waiting for the Second Coming." Christians have been expecting the Second Coming for many centuries, so this might suggest that  the Second Coming will never come. Examples like this show that the speaker clearly does not have faith that many things will happen, or perhaps has lost faith in America. The two poems give great insight to two somewhat similar viewpoints of an ever-changing America. Different people may experience America through struggles, hope, or just living the unexpected.