Reverend H.T. Johnson was a clergyman in America and "The Black Man's Burden" was written by him as a direct reply to Kipling's "The White Man's Burden". Johnson uses same form, similar rhyme scheme and meter to Kipling's poem to explicitly state that this is his counter to Kipling's highly divisive poem.
The poem starts with the phrase "Pile on the Black Man's burden" that acts as a refrain which starts every stanza. Johnson sarcastically asserts to add up to the black person's burden which is overbearing as it is. This creates a verbal irony as what he means is to leave the black man alone who already has a lot to deal with as it is. He points out specifically to the US as it need not look anywhere else but its "own door" and address the issue at home first. There is no reason to bother other countries like Cuba or Hawaii when the problem in your own country is burning.
He describes the armies of imperial forces as "fearless" in a sarcastic manner as it only terrorizes people that are weak. He uses the metaphor "feeble folks" to describe the weaker ones to give them a homely feel "who fight with club and arrows" meaning their lack of advanced means of technological warfare compared to the white man's rifles i.e. technologically advanced military.
Johnson implies that white men revel in their atrocities as their laughter drowns the wail and agony of others. He uses the metaphor "Red man" to point out native Americans who were displaced by Europeans. The use of the word "sealed" omits sinister overtones as "sealing of fate". He describes the methods of the white men to have been inhumane and barbaric each other with respect might have worked better.
Johnson commends the resilience of black men who suffer under such horrid treatment as it has gone for generations. He fervently criticizes the Jim Crow laws which formulated policies of racial segregation in the US in the beginning of the twentieth century. "And fiendish midnight deed" suggests a dark history in America when black saves were raped by their masters. He warns that this might result in retribution. The poet asserts that the black man will pile up to reach heavens as a use of hyperbole. This might have an opposite effect on the white race in a pernicious way through generations. He mocks the imperialist armies as they might have been able to subdue the humans but are no match for divine retribution that is due.
Since this poem is meant as a direct response to Kipling's poem, Johnson constantly uses sarcasm and satire to admonish the imperialist culture of the nineteenth century. Although it applies to all European nations involved in colonialism, Jonson particularly focuses on the climate of America. It has the same rhyme scheme as Kipling's poem which goes like ABCBDEFE. Similarly, the poem mostly abides to an iambic trimeter creating a da DUM rhythm.
The poet uses poetic devices, especially metaphors to describe variety of facts. For instance there is an excessive focus on sarcasm starting with "Pile on the black man's burden". Similarly, Johnson uses alliteration, for instance "feeble folks" to emphasize the victims of imperialist subjugation. "With bullets, blood and death" draws attention to the wickedness of the imperialists and "fiendish midnight deed" to point out a dark facet of American slavery. The repetition of the consonance sound 'd' provides a feeling akin to grinding of teeth in disgust and indignation.
With masterful use of these poetic devices, Johnson presents the suffering and exploitation of the victims of the European imperialists from the black people to Indians as well as native Americans. This poem is in line with the resistance culture propagated by the likes of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X characteristic of the twentieth century. the poem exudes the feeling of indignation resulting from centuries of exploitation and in a subdued way provides a warning about the repercussions and comeuppance if the course is not corrected and the repentance is not issued with sincerity.
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