[stylist] Poem: After the Winter

Tue Feb 5 18:14:22 UTC 2013

Lynda,
This is beautiful and captures the winter longings of those of us in eastern
Pennsylvania as well. *grin* Thanks for sharing it; my poetry education is
sorely lacking. 
Donna 

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Lynda Lambert
Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2013 11:01 AM
To: Writer's Division Mailing List
Subject: Re: [stylist] Poem: After the Winter

Morning Writer's!

I sit here at my desk this morning in a room flooded with bright light. It's
been snowing here in western Pennsylvania for a few days, and the landscape
is brilliant with sunlight on new snow. 

Because this is Black History Month, the landscape outside my window
reminded me of a lovely poem by Claude McKay, an African American poet. I
have copied and pasted  his poem, "After the Winter" at the end of this
message.  I added three periods at the end of each line so you can hear the
line breaks via JAWS. I think this works pretty well.

You can visit this website for biographical information on Claude McKay. He
was one of the major voices of the Harlem Renaissance. This was a literary
and art movement that brought African American writers, musicians, and
artists to the forefront of modern American culture. 

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/claude-mckay

I have selected this poem today because it reflects on the changing seasons,
when in the midst of Winter, our thoughts begin to turn towards the
forthcoming  Spring we begin to anticipate.

After the Winter

BY CLAUDE MCKAY

Some day, when trees have shed their leaves. . .

     And against the morning's white. . .

The shivering birds beneath the eaves. . . 

     Have sheltered for the night,. . .

We'll turn our faces southward, love,. . .

     Toward the summer isle. . .

Where bamboos spire the shafted grove. . .

     And wide-mouthed orchids smile.. . .

And we will seek the quiet hill. . .

     Where towers the cotton tree,. . .

And leaps the laughing crystal rill,. . .

     And works the droning bee.. . .

And we will build a cottage there. . .

     Beside an open glade,. . .

With black-ribbed blue-bells blowing near,. . .

     And ferns that never fade.. . .

by Claude McKay

(1890 - 1948)

To Think About:

Here are some things to think about as you read through this poem several
times:

What sort of relationships is he speaking about here?
What does he say about love?
Is "love" a person as well as a feeling?
Does he speak of romantic love, or something else?

Throughout the poem he speaks of "we" - Who do you think he was speaking to,
and why?

Look again now, and see what he is showing us about nature.
What is his view of nature?  
What does his landscape look like?
How does he describe trees? flowers? other plants?
Do you see here a romantic view of nature? 
Do you have a feeling he has ever been to such a place as he has described
here?

The poem is about "winter" yet "spring" is clearly present in the poem.
Can you compare and contrast the view of Winter with that of Spring here?
Look for the differences and the similarities between the two.

Finally, go back again and examine the form of this poem.
It is 16 lines.  
The 16 lines are divided into groups of four lines.
Each set of 4 lines features a rhyme scheme.
The  rhyme scheme will change with each new set of four lines.

How does this form add to the content of the poem?

Imagine you are sitting with Claude McKay. He is speaking directly to you.
What does he have to share with you this morning? 

_________________________
Lynda Lambert, BFA,MA,MFA
104 River Road
Ellwood City, PA 16117

724 758 4979

My Blog:  http://www.walkingbyinnervision.blogspot.com
My Website:  http://lyndalambert.com

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