At the beginning of the poem , two boys from different races are on opposite sides of a car. One self symbolizes seperation among races and color. Simile is being used to describe the little boys aperal, for example,"black sneakers with complex pattern like a self invented scars". Then he refers the color red to the color inside, which is being intended to mean something dangerous.
However the poem , in line 19 has a change in mood. At first it had a very negative vibe, unitl line 19 that it sets the
tone of the power coming from thr boys life.
"On the subway" a white women fears that her life will be taken away beasue their is s "black" man sharing the same subway has her. She campares gerself by describj ghow whtes are comsideredthe "nations heart" which was a more probable reason the black man would take her life.