Claude McKay: A Rhapsody Poet


He was born in the rich culture of Jamaica but made his mark in African-American history in the Americas. Claude McKay gifted poetry made him one of the elite poets of the Harlem Renaissance era. McKay was one of the most prominent figures in the Harlem Renaissance not only for his poetry but other literary writings and political views. One of his influential poems to begin his recognition in the world of poetry was: "If We Must Die" which was published in the Liberator in 1919 making it the very first poems initiating the tone, subject, and matter of the literary movement.

McKay was also known as more than a natural poet; he was a lyrical by nature. He thought in rhapsodies and felt in meter, merging his soul with the present moment and tied it to race. White Jamaican patrons financed him to go to New York, upon his arrival, at first he did not co-exist well with African-Americans. McKay criticized African-Americans on the political issues during this time regarding the best ways to address the community for advancement and opportunity.

With his strong views, he became involved in the NAACP in order to contribute something towards cultural change. McKay wrote many poetry collections with the expression of cultural views and of being a black man, striving for success in what chosen art form. I selected one of his memorable poems that is also well loved by many:

"The Negro Tragedy"

After reading it, the poem displays several emotions inside my heart. I felt I could understand just what McKay was expressing through his selection of words to his readers and to himself. His words are of a spiritual natural. Why do I say this? Because the movement of his careful selection of expressive words tell us that he feels a wound that is bleeding, which, leads to the tragedy of feeling helpless to heal it. Although, he tries to make sense of the matter with everyday objects, now, these objects make sense of the true purpose of their existence.

For instance the phrase:

"Which binds me like a heavy iron chain, it is the Negro’s wounds I want to heal."

These words provide me with the depth of what McKay is trying to emphasize on the history of slavery and the on going un-noticeable wounds of those shackle-chains. The bleeding of those internal wounds were seen everyday, and when McKay wrote this poem he expressed that constant memory; the knowing of the spiritual pain still present and bleeding internally.
The copyright of the article Claude McKay: A Rhapsody Poet in Writing from Harlem is owned by Nichel Anderson. Permission to republish Claude McKay: A Rhapsody Poet in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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