Freedom Summer

Lewis writes the poem from the perspective of James Chaney. While this might seem at first to be an odd choice, the perspective gives the poem an added sense of tragedy and makes the imagery in the lines more immediate and powerful than if it were written from a retrospective, outside perspective. The use of first person makes the poem more personal, and it allows for an intimate description of the events of Chaney’s last day. Additionally, Lewis focuses on the perspective of the one Black person in the group that was murdered, giving him control of the narrative and highlighting his voice. This is important because Chaney, as a Black man, was made to suffer the most during the attack. Lewis wishes to honor Chaney by letting his perspective guide the poem.

Another interesting choice Lewis makes is the cadence and tone of the poem. He presents the poem in a very non-traditional way, choosing to forgo things like rhyme or set rhythm, and he uses a straightforward, prosaic