High to Low

The title indicates the central theme, with “High to Low” representing a Black person from a wealthy socioeconomic class (the speaker) and a Black person from an economic class absent of wealth (the addressee). As the speaker emphatically criticizes the addressee, the relationship is antagonistic. The speaker blames the addressee for the “troubles” of Black people (Line 2). Since class defines the identities of the speaker and the addressee, class is the reason for the conflict. The speaker tells the addressee, “[Y]ou talk too loud / cuss too loud / look too black” (Lines 4-6). Their behavior isn’t specific only to them but to their class as a whole. Thus, the “you” (Line 4) isn’t one specific person, but an entire class of people—the “low”-class Black people. Similarly, the speaker represents another group of Black people—those from the “high” class. 

The plural pronoun “we” (Line 2) underscores the class rift. There are two instances of “we” in the poem. At the start, the speaker says, “God knows / We have our troubles, too” (Lines 1-2). Ostensibly, the “we” means Black people as a whole. Regardless of their class, Black people face violent, deadly racism. However, near the end, the speaker suggests that Black people aren’t a united “we” (Line 24).