Summary

The speaker describes the way working class and impoverished people come from miles around to watch Ma Rainey perform. They come on mules or in jalopies or trains, sometimes from as far as New Orleans. The crowds are rowdy and excited, while some are melancholic as they carry their woes with them. Ma Rainey emerges with her piano accompanist. The speaker addresses the singer directly, imploring her to sing to them about their troubles. Then the speaker turns their attention to another concertgoer, who tries to explain what’s so compelling about Ma Rainey’s music. They quote lines from one of her songs, “Backwater Blues”, which moved her audience to tears.

Analysis

“Ma Rainey” opens with a Roman numerical heading in sharp contrast to the language that immediately becomes obvious: the poem is composed of contractions and grammatical misalignments that distinguish Black American...