Lakeisha Williams
LITR322
Natascha Gast
March 29, 2015
Research Paper Week 8
The Black Experience Through Themes of Nature in Jean Toomer’s Poetry I have had the opportunity to read such great works from fantastically relevant immortal poets such as, Edgar Allen Poe, Emily Dickinson, and Robert Frost, just to name a few. But there is one, Harlem Renaissance poet Jean Toomer that intrigued me, not only because he was a talented poet but also because he was an African American poet. Now, being an African American and a poet wasn't necessarily unheard of but he wrote in a time where racism and oppression was still very prevalent, and where blacks were just being recognized for their literary talents, the Harlem Renaissance ushered in a new …show more content…
There seems to be a common subject thread through a lot of his works, there are four that come to mind. The first poem I studied was “November Cotton Flower,” he says, “Such was the season when the flower bloomed,” (Toomer) the flower is a direct reference to nature, the flower seems to be the slave, and in his reference to the month “November” could reference winter and winter being a harsher time of the year, picking cotton as a harsh daunting experience. Toomer is describing a harsh winter, one that doesn't allow for the cotton in the South to flourish for picking, but he is not reference a literal winter, or a literal crop, he is referencing a harsh environment for blacks who had to slave, the struggle. He says, “cotton scarce,” (Toomer), and then says, “caused soil to take,” and “dead birds found,” (Toomer), how could anything flourish in such and environment where birds can’t …show more content…
I see the blade. Blood-stained, continue cutting weeds and shade.” This reference I believe is to the tenacity of the black spirit, the fact that through everything he continues to live and to thrive, cutting through the obstacles he must face, bleeding and lowly, he forges ahead still. The last Toomer poem I’ve selected is, “Storm Ending,” and this I believe is very releveant to the black experience or journey, it is the poem that I feel connects the previous three like a story or chronicle. This poem is one of the shorter of the previous three, and I find it important that he mentions, “Thunder Blossoms gorgeously above our heads,” (Toomer). His choice of words are critical, because he refers to the Thunder which can be scary, but describes it as blossoming and gorgeous. Toomer is saying that the expriecne for blacks itself was scary, unpleasant, and many other unsavory things, but it allowed maturation of the black spirit, something from such a horrific time period has produced such gorgeous things, he himself as as black man who was educated and prominent was a gorgeous sight to see, what would the anscestors feel about such accomplishments? The storm had ended and a new day had dawned for
LITR322
Natascha Gast
March 29, 2015
Research Paper Week 8
The Black Experience Through Themes of Nature in Jean Toomer’s Poetry I have had the opportunity to read such great works from fantastically relevant immortal poets such as, Edgar Allen Poe, Emily Dickinson, and Robert Frost, just to name a few. But there is one, Harlem Renaissance poet Jean Toomer that intrigued me, not only because he was a talented poet but also because he was an African American poet. Now, being an African American and a poet wasn't necessarily unheard of but he wrote in a time where racism and oppression was still very prevalent, and where blacks were just being recognized for their literary talents, the Harlem Renaissance ushered in a new …show more content…
There seems to be a common subject thread through a lot of his works, there are four that come to mind. The first poem I studied was “November Cotton Flower,” he says, “Such was the season when the flower bloomed,” (Toomer) the flower is a direct reference to nature, the flower seems to be the slave, and in his reference to the month “November” could reference winter and winter being a harsher time of the year, picking cotton as a harsh daunting experience. Toomer is describing a harsh winter, one that doesn't allow for the cotton in the South to flourish for picking, but he is not reference a literal winter, or a literal crop, he is referencing a harsh environment for blacks who had to slave, the struggle. He says, “cotton scarce,” (Toomer), and then says, “caused soil to take,” and “dead birds found,” (Toomer), how could anything flourish in such and environment where birds can’t …show more content…
I see the blade. Blood-stained, continue cutting weeds and shade.” This reference I believe is to the tenacity of the black spirit, the fact that through everything he continues to live and to thrive, cutting through the obstacles he must face, bleeding and lowly, he forges ahead still. The last Toomer poem I’ve selected is, “Storm Ending,” and this I believe is very releveant to the black experience or journey, it is the poem that I feel connects the previous three like a story or chronicle. This poem is one of the shorter of the previous three, and I find it important that he mentions, “Thunder Blossoms gorgeously above our heads,” (Toomer). His choice of words are critical, because he refers to the Thunder which can be scary, but describes it as blossoming and gorgeous. Toomer is saying that the expriecne for blacks itself was scary, unpleasant, and many other unsavory things, but it allowed maturation of the black spirit, something from such a horrific time period has produced such gorgeous things, he himself as as black man who was educated and prominent was a gorgeous sight to see, what would the anscestors feel about such accomplishments? The storm had ended and a new day had dawned for