It is a simple poem and is not my favorite theme of love poems, however it is a topic that has captured my interest. The theme of the poem is racism and how it can affect a person more than one can imagine. Whether it's a good or bad accident like in this case, it shows how something as ordinary as a bus ride can have lasting effects. It tells the story of a young African American boy who rides a bus in Baltimore and, seeing a boy his age, wants to connect with him. He smiles at this other guy and is greeted with ugliness. The other boy sticks out his tongue and calls him “nigger.” This incident left a mark on him because he couldn't shake what happened to him. His trip was ruined due to another kid's disrespect. It saddened me that the memory of the bus had such an effect on him. I thought it was a very inspiring poem about how our actions can affect others. It strengthened my belief that poetry is an art. If a poet manages to make us feel, to empathize with him, then he has achieved his goal. This is exactly what Countee Cullen did