Light in the poem symbolizes power in many forms. Its destructive aspects appear in the “white flash” (Line 2) from a “fist burst” (Line 2) and the fires of riots and poverty. These things are what can sap strength and keep people in survival mode. They are what can hide the stars from sight.

The stars, the “heavenly light” (Line 4), are the beautiful lights of possibility, opportunity, fulfillment, and freedom. It’s the aspirations of the individual and the hope for the future.

The speaker’s father braves the fire. Maybe the light from a blow is the closest he might get to seeing stars, but his struggle and the truces he works for might bring his son’s dreams closer. The speaker says, “I never saw stars” (Line 5) because of his environment, but he too contributes to a brighter future for his child.

The son not only sees the stars, but he also names them. Opportunities and dreams that were out of reach are available to him. “My father saw stars. My son sees stars” (Line 13). Hope shines through the generations and propels them forward. “We lurch ahead, and one day we have walked this far” (Line 14).