A long time ago in a galaxy far away I fancied myself a poet. Claude McKay was a name I was familiar with as someone who won many awards and received local and international recognition for his work as a writer, poet and journalist. When I saw that βSongs of Jamaicaβ by Claude McKay was being republished I decided to add it to my collection.
Favourite poems
Some of my favourite poems from the collection include:
- βWheβ Fe Do?β a poem about hard times and how difficult it is to survive when poor and black.
- βThe Bitter Bitβ is about the challenges of farming and how the βratsβ who might represent those who didn’t labour when the plants were growing often show up at the end to partake in the result of the hard work of others.
- βThe Hermitβ is about someone who decided to retreat to a solitary life in the wilderness living with woodland creatures and worrying about seasonal rains but being contented being alone and free.
- βNellie Whiteβ is what seems like a sly guy sweet-talking poor Nellie but his intentions may or may not be as true as he states.
Songs of Jamaica
Songs of Jamaica (1912) is a poetry collection by Claude McKay. Published before the poet left Jamaica for the United States. As a committed leftist, McKay was a keen observer of the Black experience in the Caribbean, the American South, and later in New York, where he gained a reputation. during the Harlem Renaissance for celebrating the resilience and cultural achievement of the African American community while lamenting the poverty and violence, they faced every day.