Sunday, September 23, 2007
mckay poems second half
The last of the makay poems were as interesting as the first set. The poems for the second set were about the hertiage was one of the themes in this set of poems selected. "Outcast "was one of the poems that was talking about his hertiage he was talking to his ancestors the songs of his ancestors are there but canot express them. Another poem that talked about hertiage was "Heritage" he looks at himself and sees his anceastors in his face adn wants to go back to his heritage. He was proud of it but can not go back so embrasses what he has left. I think those are very interesting poems about the good things that he has about his black heritage. A theme that i thought appeared was "women" the harlem dancer how he embrasses her asa tree swaying in the storm she is a strong black women that has been through alot.He protrays her as a beautiful black women with strength. Another one where he talks about a women is "Memorial " he says he is very much in love with her he doesnt know if he can go on with out her. He makes sexual refernece to her and how passionate for her. I think that these poems show a passionate side of him and the soft side of him instead of the mad and upset side of him. Theses poems were interesting poems to read in understanding racism in Mckay's eyes.
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I also thought the last set of poems we had to read from him were interesting as well. You can definitely see that he holds nothing back and lets all his emotions flow through him onto the paper. He does talk about women a lot and shows them as being strong and beautiful given everything they have been through.
I agree that McKay does show a softer side in some of his poems. Memorial is an excellent example of this. McKay’s portrayal of a man in love is very emotional and sensitive. This poem is a nice change of pace from his anger and resentment toward the race relations in the United States. I’m glad that McKay was able to express other emotions through his writing.
I agree. Except, I think “Memorial” is about a women he has had a very intense relationship with, not just someone he has a crush on. What’s more, I think that she’s dead and he may be getting through his grief. It is named memorial, but then again, maybe it is just signifying the death of the relationship. Either way, we know he will not have a relationship with her again and doesn’t know if he could love anyone else in the same way.
I agree I like the way McKay's poems portrayed women to be strong, important, and beautiful. We did not really get that from Johnson. McKay and Toomer seem to really be intrigued by women and the power that they hold, both over men and in society.
McKay and Toomer both seem to portray both prostitutes and also women that they have fallen deeply and passionately in love with. This again gives these two works so much more depth and connection to reality than Johnson did. This portrayal of emotion makes both the writer and the characters more solid and brings them to life.
The use of emotions such as love and desire also show that the Harlem Renaissance was not all about racism and hatred, but also that people lived, breathed, and forged ahead.
I also liked how McKay talked about his heritage in his poems. I think he was proud of his heritage and his ancestors. I think African Americans have endured many hardships in the past and McKay acknowledges this and admires his ancestors for their strength and courage.
I think he reference to women are possitive. He seems to embrace every part of them. This is even when they are in the worst conditions. His portrayal of women seem to be ahead of the time he writes.
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