Through various images Angelou paints for Americans a reminder of what makes America a nation. This is first seen with "The Rock cries out today, you may stand on me,/ But do not hide your face." This rock stands as a symbol of the ideals, such as freedom, justice, liberty, and equality, which make up the core foundation of our nation. Like a rock they have the potential to be permanent and to weather the changes, such as war, racism, and prejudice, which are thrown at them. She also states that it is important for us to be proud of these ideals.
Secondly, this is seen in "The River sings and sings on" with the river representing the land of America itself. A river remains constant in the landscape even as it changes it course. In a similar way the land of America has stayed the same even though its borders have changed several times through out history. It also assures us that the chances are slim that the land will ever not exist.
Finally, we see this with "I am the Tree planted by the River,/ Which will not be moved." This tree can be equated with the people of America. The tree, like people, puts down roots. These roots make sure the tree will not be uprooted by strong storms. In a similar way, people�s roots help then to establish solid identities that will keep them rooted during their personal storms.
The advice America gives in this poem is plentiful. She first tells her people to remember their past. This is seen in the lines �Your armed struggles for profit/ Have left collars of waste upon/ My shore, currents of debris upon my breast.� She is telling them that in their struggle to become the richest nation in the world they have forgotten that they too were at one time at the bottom of the ladder. She also points out that they have in this struggle unintentionally abused the land that once fed there ancestors.
She then advises that we remember our heritage. This is first seen in:
So say the Asian, the Hispanic, the Jew
The African and Native American, the Sioux,
The Catholic, the Muslim, the French, the Greek
The Irish, the Rabbi, the Priest, the Sheikh,
The Gay, the Straight, the Preacher,
The privileged, the homeless, the Teacher.
They hear. They all hear
The speaking of the Tree.
Through this line, as well as others later on, she reminds us that we may be a diverse nation, but that doesn�t change the fact that we are American because we believe in the ideals represented by the rock or that our ancestors, at one time, all answered the call of some type freedom, whether it was the freedom to worship or the freedom to own your own land.
She also asks that they remember the blood shed to defend these ideals. This is first seen with the lines �Each of you, descendant of some passed/ On traveler, has been paid for.� These lines refer to the Revolutionary War, which allowed a dream of freedom, justice, liberty, and equality to become the idealistic core of our nation. It is also seen latter in �I, the Rock, I the River, I the Tree/ I am yours- your Passages have been paid.� In this line she speaks to the African Americans, telling them that there right to be citizens of this nation has been paid for in the blood of every man who died during the Civil War.
She gives prudent advice toward the future as well. This is first seen with �History, despite its wrenching pains,/ Cannot be unlived, and if faced/ With courage, need not be lived again.� Here she is giving the age old advice of learning from the mistakes of the past. She reminds us that we can�t undo what is done and that we will be better off if we let go of the pains that the past can cause.
She also warns about letting the pain over the past dominate the future in �Do not be wedded forever/ To fear, yoked eternally/ To brutishness.� By holding on to the hate, fear, anger, and prejudice of the past one only affects their effectiveness at making changes in the world. How can we ask others to give up their hate if we can not do the same? Our actions can, at times, speak louder than our words,
She also begs us to reclaim what we have forgotten and let it be a beacon to the world. This is seen in the lines:
Give birth again
To the dream.
Women, children, men,
Take it into the palms of your hands.
Mold it into the shape or your most
Private need. Sculpt it into
The image of your most public self.
Lift up your hearts
Each new hour holds new chances
For new beginnings.
She speaks here of not only imprinting the dream of freedom, justice, liberty, and equality on our heart of hearts, but of letting it show in how we live our lives and in how we treat our neighbors, friends, co-worker, and even in how we act toward our enemies. We never know when our example will help to inspire changes in other countries or will make a difference in the life of the cranky guy next door.
Authors will often use their works to address problems they strongly feel need to be fixed. Maya Angelou's poem "On the Pulse of Morning" does just this when it points out that Americans have forgotten what their country was founded on. She also advises that we remember our past and learn from it, in order to better the future.
