The poem opens with the directive to “imagine a tulip” (Line 1) that is so ashamed of itself that it would intentionally lose its petals and hope for its pollen to only be used for other flowers, not tulips. This striking image is tragically romantic: flowers like tulips and roses are often used to indicate affection and love, yet in this scene Smith twists their meaning to reflect the self-loathing of the subject of the poem, the “black guy” (Title) whose profile is being examined.

Smith repeats the instruction to “imagine” (Line 2), yet this time tasks the reader with seeing “shadows longing for a room with light” (Line 3). In this more clearly juxtaposed image, the subject’s self-hatred is compared to shadows and light. The poet uses specific words that are often coded to reflect racist beliefs in the larger society; here, Smith’s reference to “shadows” (Line 3) could be understood as an intentional critique of the ways that Black people are often considered in negative ways. A shadow, here representing the dark body of the black man, longs for light (or acceptance in white culture), but this desire leads to his own destruction. His own internalized racism seeks his own effacement.