There are only two stanzas to this Poem (To America). The author's name, by the way, is James Weldon Johnson.
The second stanza contains the line you are asking about. This stanza is built on contrasts. You have to read the next line to get the meaning of the one you quoted. The next line is
Or tightening chains about your feet?
So you have a contrast. Would you rather have an eagle with strong willing wings representing willingness to bring about strong freedom
or
do you want a people that are chained and held to the ground?
Remember that James Weldon Johnson was colored. America meant a great deal to him, but his poetry is filled the imagery of the era of slavery.
I'm looking at the word chains when I say that.
So America, the choice is yours. You can have a strong nation whose wings are made of strong sinew or you can have a chained and slave state. Which will it be?
