Journal #9

Jean Toomer's work is said to be heavily influenced by Sherwood Anderson and Waldo Frank, well known writers during the Harlem Renaissance. Song of the Son makes you think of the sun almost every word is about nature. Red soil, sweet-gum trees, velvet pines all create a peaceful, serene picture. The images of nature are a disctraction from the poem's real purpose, to tell the tale of the sons that slave away in this nature so unnaturally forced. The sun has set, but the sons have not, their work is never done. Compared to dark purple plums, negro slaves are squeezed and bursting from their toil.

Georgia Dusk was almost eerie. This poem tells of "a feast of men and moon and barking hounds, blood-hot eyes and blue ghosts or trees." I think that this poem is recalling what Africa used to be as it mentions high priets, ostriches and a juju-man. The singers whisper memories and the ghosts of a society before they were made slaves.

The Blue Meridian makes connections with Toomer's other poems. Once again nature is prevelant, "the blood of earth and the blood of man course swifter and rejoice when we spiritualize." Toomer brings out that man is connected with the earth through his words. Although it is a burden to sustain it, it in turn sustains us. The people of this poem have given up hope. Toomer speaks of an "inverted Christ, a moulting Thunderbird" as they wait for a new God (a God that is more merciful and benovelent.

I question the lines "We must keep keep keep the watermelon." What exactly does that mean? Watermelon is a common stereotypicall African American favorite, maybe the reason is that it represented something more important. In this poem it seems as one of the last things that these brothers can hold onto, and they intend to protect it at great costs. One thing is for sure, the victims of this poem are waiting and hoping for a change. "A new people. For the joining of men to men and man to God."

Cullen's poetry fits in with the stereotypical works of the Harlem Renaissance full of sexual passion, psychic woe and jungles.

For A Lady I Know is short and to the point. I'm sure that a lot of people could relate to that frustration even after slavery. I think the importance of this poem is that some people are incapable of changing or thinking differently. EVEN IN HEAVEN, the lady of the poem feels superior to black people.

Incident once again expresses the terrible frustrations and humiliation that negroes endured. We always remember the bad things that happen, they eat at us even if we've had a perfectly good day, week or month.

Heritage is more idealistic and dreamy than the other poems that focus on the life of a black man in America. Africa holds so much promise to Cullen, and therefore is more pleasurable to read. It is not so much about harsh reality than it is about what could have been. By the end of the poem his bitterness sets in as he implies that there is a fire kindling in his heart and soul, of anger that has not been unleashed. "Quench my prude and coold my blood...lest a hidden ember set, timber that I thought was wet."

I liked To A Brown Boy because it forces readers to realize that whether you are black or white, after you're gone color does not matter. "Men will not ask if that earth was white flesh once or brown."

All of Cullen's poems seem to ring with bitterness and none fail to mention the persecution that he as a black man has suffered.

Works Cited

Toomer, Jane. "Poetry." The Portable Harlem Renaissance Reader. Ed. David Lewis. New York: 1995. 301-307.

Works Cited

Cullen, Countee. "Poetry." The Portable Harlem Renaissance Reader. Ed. David Lewis. New York: 1995. 242-251.