Parade

After reading the poem 'Parade' a few times, I finally began to get an understanding of what was going in this poem. The poem is set during a march, as seen in the line that mentions the planning of a parade which could mean a march for freedom. The later lines when they mention the motorcycle cops being white.  A first reading makes you think this is about an actual parade but after looking at some of the other lines in the poem the setting becomes a little clearer.

I feel as if the author of this poem is making a statement about the time that this poem takes place in. Pointing out the point of view of those who watched and or opposed the Civil Rights movement. In the last line of the poem, "I never knew there were so many negroes." This could be referenceing the people who are genuinely ignorant of the Civil Rights movement and the trails African Americans had to go through.