Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Terrance Hayes’ "Ode to Big Trend" is a striking meditation on labor, strength, and the hidden depths of Black masculinity. Through the figure of Big Trend, a physically imposing man with unexpected intellectual inclinations, Hayes crafts a portrait of power that extends beyond brute force. The poem operates as both an elegy and a celebration, an acknowledgment of the unrecognized complexities that exist within figures often reduced to stereotypes.

Big Trend is introduced with a commanding presence, wiping his “ox neck” and carrying the weight of a community’s expectations. The speaker, positioned as both an observer and a participant, captures the moment of rising tension: “Pretty soon the Negroes were looking to get paid.” This line sets the stakes immediately, establishing a context of labor and economic frustration. Big Trend, despite his massive physicality, is not just another worker—he is their leader, the one who takes on the responsibility of confronting the boss. His authority is underscored by the line: “He wasn’t going to wait too much longer.” In this declaration, Big Trend becomes an archetype of quiet resistance, the kind of man who speaks with action rather than words.

Hayes builds layers of complexity into Big Trend’s character. He is marked—literally and figuratively—by a “pink scar / Meddling his forehead.” The word “meddling” suggests an unwanted presence, something intrusive and defining, a reminder of violence or struggle. Most assume “a bear / Like him couldn’t read anything but a dollar,” reinforcing the stereotype of the strong, simple Black man. But the speaker, more intimately familiar with Big Trend, knows otherwise: “But I’d watched him tour the used bookstore / In town and seen him napping so I knew he held more / Than power in those hands.” Here, Hayes challenges the reductive perception of Black laborers as purely physical beings. Big Trend is a reader, a thinker, someone who moves through a bookstore with the same ease as he moves through a confrontation with authority.

The poem’s rhythm mirrors Big Trend’s steady, deliberate nature. The lines are balanced, flowing with an unhurried confidence that reflects the man they describe. Hayes employs a restrained yet evocative diction, using simple language to build an intricate portrayal. The phrase “they could tear / A Bible in two” is particularly potent. It conveys Big Trend’s immense strength, but also suggests a deeper, almost mythic power. This is a man who, if he chose to, could challenge faith itself—both in the spiritual and institutional sense.

The final section of the poem pivots back to labor and its politics. On payday, Big Trend is “the one / The fellas asked to speak to the boss.” This choice reinforces his role as a leader, a mediator between the workers and management. His ability to negotiate fair pay suggests a mastery of both language and intimidation. The line “He’d go alone” is significant; it emphasizes both his singular strength and the quiet trust the others place in him. Left behind, the speaker and the other workers construct a vision of what happens in those closed-door negotiations: “We imagined the boss buckled / Into Trend’s shadow because our money always followed.” The phrase “buckled into Trend’s shadow” suggests both fear and submission, as if the boss is physically overwhelmed by Big Trend’s presence. There is something poetic about the way this final image is framed—the money follows, as if it has no choice but to obey the gravitational pull of Big Trend’s power.

Ultimately, "Ode to Big Trend" is a celebration of resilience, intelligence, and quiet influence. Hayes pays homage to the kind of men who are often overlooked in literature—working-class Black men whose intellect and leadership go unrecognized. Big Trend is more than muscle; he is a negotiator, a reader, a poet in his own right. The speaker’s admiration for him is palpable, and through this lens, we see a figure who embodies both physical and intellectual authority. Hayes reminds us that strength is multifaceted, that power is not always loud, and that true leadership often happens away from the spotlight, in the shadows where deals are made and justice is quietly secured.

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