Countée Cullen's 'Saturday's Child'

Cullen’s “Saturday’s Child” is a lament that consists of five rimed—ABAB—stanzas. The speaker compares the circumstances of his birth to those of the wealthy; however, instead of the nauseating whine that streams from many poems with this theme, this speaker actually maintains his dignity.

First Stanza: “Some are teethed on a silver spoon”

In the opening stanza, the speaker alludes to the old maxim, “born with a silver spoon in his mouth,” changing it to “Some are teethed on a silver spoon.” Of course, that old saying means to be born into a wealthy family. The speaker emphasizes the wealth by saying those newborns have “the stars strung for a rattle.” Instead of having to give their babies little plastic devices filled with pellets, rich folks are able to afford many elaborate toys for their newborns.

Instead of being born rich, however, this speaker was born poor; he “cut [his] teeth as the black raccoon / For implements of battle.” He had to become tough and strong as a raccoon that can gnaw through wood. He had to be independent and self-reliant, because his parents were not those who could offer him a “silver spoon” and “stars strung for a rattle.”

Second Stanza: “Some are swaddled in silk and down”

The speaker then continues the comparison. He reports that some folks at birth are clothed in comfortable garments of “silk,” and they are afforded quilts and pillows made of “down.” He then alludes to the birth of Jesus Christ, when he says, “And heralded by a star.” Of course, Jesus Christ was born into poverty, in a stable, which would was probably less opulent than the speaker’s circumstances.

The speaker was wrapped in a plain “sackcloth gown” not silk. This allusion to Christ’s birth is weak, but it offers the speaker the stark comparison he wants when he says he was born “On a night that was black as tar.”

Third Stanza: “For some, godfather and goddame”

Instead of a protective set of godparents, the speaker was christened by “poverty” and “pain.” Godparents resemble “opulent fairies.” They add security to the child fortunate enough to have them. But as a poor child, the speaker was welcomed into the world by poverty and its accompanying pain.

Fourth Stanza: “For I was born on Saturday”

He then attributes the humbleness of his birth circumstances to the fact that he was born on Saturday, for as Mother Goose asserts, “Saturday's child works hard for a living.”

And instead of joining proud, happy parents, the speaker was welcomed by a father who said, "Bad time for planting a seed” and "One mouth more to feed."

Fifth Stanza: “Death cut the strings that gave me life”

In the final stanza, the speaker dramatizes “Death” as a midwife who “cut the strings that gave me life.” Instead of qualified “middle wife” or physician, all the speaker’s parents would afford was “Death,” a natural phenomenon.

His death would have been reasonable; his survival is the only fortune with which he was born. But sharply implied in the poem is that his low-class birth gave him strength to struggle and battle through the wars that are inherent in being born at all on this earth.

Commentary

Cullen said about his venture into poetry: “If I am going to be a poet at all, I am going to be POET and not NEGRO POET.” By that he meant, “I shall not write of negro subjects for the purpose of propaganda.” This attitude is resplendent in Cullen’s poetry. Would that so many others eschewed the tendency to propagandize about race, gender, and class in their art.

Countée Cullen

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