Mar 24 2008
Poems on Racism
In light of Barack Obama’s speech on Racism, I thought it appropriate to point out a post on The Huffington Post entitled, Poems about Racism.
Here’s a sample of the post:
Harlem Renaissance poet Claude MckKay’s The White House lays out more of the difficulties faced by African-Americans and speaks to the resentment that might build in a community. There is dignity and power in the poem’s rigid form.
Your door is shut against my tightened face,
And I am sharp as steel with discontent;
But I possess the courage and the grace
To bear my anger proudly and unbent.
The pavement slabs burn loose beneath my feet,
And passion rends my vitals as I pass,
Where boldly shines your shuttered door of glass.
Oh, I must search for wisdom every hour,
Deep in my wrathful bosom sore and raw,
And find in it the superhuman power
To hold me to the letter of your law!
Oh, I must keep my heart inviolate
Against the potent poison of your hate.
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Mija is a literary work and I’ve been reading poetry so that I can develop my skills writing prose. As a teenager I wrote a few poems. Not my best work. That’s for sure. But I wrote the poems at the suggestion of my eighth grade English teacher. Not since then have I studied the art of writing poetry. I’m hoping that reacquainting myself with poetry will help with specific scenes that appear in Mija.
Click HERE for previous poem posts
Great post. There is an award waiting for you on my blog. Do with it as you wish. I just had to include your excellent Blog.
Poetry scares me, although I do love to read it. I used to write a lot of it as a kid, but looking back this last weekend (good timing, your post!) on some of my old writings, I was obviously a very disturbed child. I think the poetry itself was good, but what came out on paper at the time is bizarre and kinda frightening. I’d hate to think what might happen if I gave it another go. I think I’ll pass.
Thanks, Diane. I’m having a difficult time putting the image on the sidebar. But I’ll figure out how.
Doug, my HS poetry is about love. Some of it is light. Some of it dark. But overall each piece is badly written.