I DOUBT not God is good, well-meaning, kind, And did He stoop to quibble could tell why The little buried mole continues blind, Why flesh that mirrors Him must some day die, Make plain the reason tortured Tantalus Is baited by the fickle fruit, declare If merely brute caprice dooms Sisyphus To struggle up a never-ending stair. Inscrutable His ways are, and immune To catechism by a mind too strewnWith petty cares to slightly understand What awful brain compels His awful hand. Yet do I marve...

African American literature is the body of literature produced in the United States by writers of African descent. It begins with the works of such late 18th-century writers as Phillis Wheatley. Before the high point of enslaved people narratives, African-American literature was dominated by autobiographical spiritual narratives. The genre known as slave narratives in the 19th century were accounts by people who had generally escaped from slavery, about their journeys to freedom and ways t...

"Copper Sun" is a poem by Countee Cullen, a leading figure in the Harlem Renaissance. Published in 1927, the poem is an evocative and poignant exploration of the African American experience. The title itself, "Copper Sun," symbolizes the harshness and the beauty of African American life, with copper representing resilience and the sun alluding to both life-giving energy and scorching hardship.In this relatively short but impactful poem, Cullen masterfully weaves together themes of ...

In "Color," Countee Cullen exquisitely delves into the complexities of race and identity through a collection of poignant poems that articulate the African American experience during the Harlem Renaissance. Employing a rich tapestry of traditional forms and modern language, Cullen's work reflects his mastery of various poetic styles, from sonnets to free verse. The poems address themes of love, race, beauty, and social injustice, revealing the struggle for self-definition amid societal con...

The Harlem Renaissance was an intellectual and cultural revival of African American music, dance, art, fashion, literature, theater, politics and scholarship centered in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, spanning the 1920s and 1930s. Contents: Langston Hughes: The Weary Blues Countee Cullen: Color Copper Sun The Ballad Of The Brown Girl Claude McKay: Harlem Shadows Jean Toomer: Cane

Hear rare recordings from five of the most-respected African American poets reading their own works: Langston Hughes, The Negro Speaks of Rivers; Arna Bontemps, Nocturne At Bethesda; Countee Cullen, Heritage; Gwendolyn Brooks, The Vacant Lot; and Sonia Sanchez, Black Magic. Recording obtained and published by Rick Sheridan.

African American literature is the body of literature produced in the United States by writers of African descent. It begins with the works of such late 18th-century writers as Phillis Wheatley. Before the high point of enslaved people narratives, African-American literature was dominated by autobiographical spiritual narratives. The genre known as slave narratives in the 19th century were accounts by people who had generally escaped from slavery, about their journeys to freedom and ways t...

In The Black Christ, & other poems, Countee Cullen unites formal elegance with moral urgency, bringing together lyrics, meditations, and the title poem's powerful reimagining of Christian martyrdom through the experience of racial violence. Written in supple meter and refined diction, these poems display Cullen's characteristic devotion to traditional forms even as they confront grief, faith, beauty, and injustice. Situated within the Harlem Renaissance yet distinct in its classicism, the ...

African American literature is the body of literature produced in the United States by writers of African descent. It begins with the works of such late 18th-century writers as Phillis Wheatley. Before the high point of enslaved people narratives, African-American literature was dominated by autobiographical spiritual narratives. The genre known as slave narratives in the 19th century were accounts by people who had generally escaped from slavery, about their journeys to freedom and ways t...

Countee Cullen (1903–46) was an African American poet, playwright, and novelist and a leading figure in the Harlem Renaissance. Copper Sun, a collection of over fifty poems, is his second book of poetry. Cullen explores the emotional consequences of race, religion, and sexuality in Jazz Age America. His lyrics are moving, eloquent, and poignant and are as powerful today as when they were first published nearly a century ago. Accompanied by seventeen beautiful Art Deco illustration...

African American literature is the body of literature produced in the United States by writers of African descent. It begins with the works of such late 18th-century writers as Phillis Wheatley. Before the high point of enslaved people narratives, African-American literature was dominated by autobiographical spiritual narratives. The genre known as slave narratives in the 19th century were accounts by people who had generally escaped from slavery, about their journeys to freedom and ways t...

The language of Poetry is an art that most of us attempt at some point in our lives. Although its commonplace exposure has been somewhat marginalised in today’s often fast-paced lives we all recognise good verse that can empathise with our thoughts or open us up to experience new things in new ways, to better understand and to enjoy the many strands of our lives.But finding a starting point can be overwhelming, even off-putting, so in this series we offer up our Top 10 classic poet...