I recommend Dr. Peter Kittle’s online examination of Ishmael Reed’s “Beware: Do Not Read This Poem.”
If you are one of my students, in addition to reading the poem, also explore each of the links at the bottom of Kittle’s webpage. I’d recommend exploring them in order, but don’t worry if the “Context Analysis: Postmodernism” section is confusing.
The important question is this: What do you think of Dr. Kittle’s “reading” of the poem? Does you agree or disagree, and how? Why?