I, TOO

The poem "I, too" deals with the discrimination of Afro-Americans and their hope for the future. The title implies a comparison between two elements, but the reader is compelled to read the whole poem to understand its meaning.
The poem is about an Afro-American boy (the darker brother), who is always sent away by his family (they) when the company comes for lunch. He eats alone in the kitchen, but isn't sad; he knows that in a near future (tomorrow) he will not be chased away anymore. Besides, they will be ashamed for having chased such a beautiful boy. The speaking voice coincides with the protagonist's one.
The poem symbolizes the hope of Afro-Americans for a better future. Its meaning can be generalized: someday, America will not exclude black people, but will consider them part of it. Therefore, the boy represents the whole Afro-American population, his family the white Americans and the company the rest of the world. The two stanzas of the poem symbolize the present and the future condition of black people respectively.
The first and last lines deal with the same topic, that is the sense of belonging to America, but are radically different. The first expresses the main character's inner feelings; he feels part of the American story and population, even if he is not considered as such by the others. On the contrary, the last certifies the official belonging, which is recognized by the whole world.
The poem is written in free verse and has a slow rhythm, given also by the frequent use of punctuation. The polysyndeton and the anaphoric use of "and" (lines 5-7) convey the sense of hopeful indifference towards the discrimination: there is no need to worry, because he knows in the future his situation will certainly improve. Finally, the enjambment between the lines 12 and 13 underlines the words "dare" and "say", which represent the final goal of the poem.