Black poetry refers to poems written by African-Americans in the United States of America. Poetry from black Africans is referred to African poetry and is a distinct area of the genre, although some African poets have influenced America. It is a sub-section of African-American literature filled with cadence, intentional repetition and alliteration.
African-American poetry predates the written word and is linked to a rich oral tradition. Like fiction, black poetry draws its inspiration from musical traditions such as gospel, blues, jazz and rap. Poems are inextricably linked to the experiences of African-Americans through their history in America, from slavery to segregation and the equal rights movement.
Black Poetry
The first written poem was by Lucy Terry in 1746. Her poem, "Bar Fight," however, was not published until 1855. The first book of black poems was written by Phillis Wheatley in 1773, just two years before the American Revolution. Wheatley was taken to court soon after publishing her poems in order to prove a black person was capable of writing such refined poems. Those poems went on to influence early American leaders such as George Washington.
Black Poetry
Blues poetry draws much of its inspiration from black poetry’s oral tradition. Themes for this kind of black poetry revolve around struggles, despair and sex, but also show the community’s resilient side. The basic blues poem opens with a statement, is followed up by a variation on the theme and then the third line offers an ironic alternative. Examples of blues poets include James Weldon Johnson and Langston Hughes.
Po' Boy Blues
When I was home de
Sunshine seemed like gold.
When I was home de
Sunshine seemed like gold.
Since I come up North de
Whole damn world's turned cold.
I was a good boy,
Never done no wrong.
Yes, I was a good boy,
Never done no wrong,
But this world is weary
An' de road is hard an' long.
I fell in love with
A gal I thought was kind.
Fell in love with
A gal I thought was kind.
She made me lose ma money
An' almost lose ma mind.
Weary, weary,
Weary early in de morn.
Weary, weary,
Early, early in de morn.
I's so weary
I wish I'd never been born.Written by Langston Hughes (1902-1967)
Courtesy of; https://www.afropoets.net/langstonhughes9.html
Hughes was also a well-known practitioner of jazz poetry. Like its blues counterpart, it is inspired by music. Where they differ, apart from the musical style they draw from, is on account of how in tune with jazz jazz poets are. It is a genre born of jazz appreciation. Linked to the beat movement, top jazz poets include Thelonius Monk and Amiri Baraka.
In Memory of Radio
Who has ever stopped to think of the divinity of Lamont Cranston?
(Only jack Kerouac, that I know of: & me.
The rest of you probably had on WCBS and Kate Smith,
Or something equally unattractive.)What can I say?
It is better to haved loved and lost
Than to put linoleum in your living rooms?Am I a sage or something?
Mandrake's hypnotic gesture of the week?
(Remember, I do not have the healing powers of Oral Roberts...
I cannot, like F. J. Sheen, tell you how to get saved & rich!
I cannot even order you to the gaschamber satori like Hitler or Goddy Knight)& love is an evil word.
Turn it backwards/see, see what I mean?
An evol word. & besides
who understands it?
I certainly wouldn't like to go out on that kind of limb.Saturday mornings we listened to the Red Lantern & his undersea folk.
At 11, Let's Pretend
& we did
& I, the poet, still do. Thank God!What was it he used to say (after the transformation when he was safe
& invisible & the unbelievers couldn't throw stones?) "Heh, heh, heh.
Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows."O, yes he does
O, yes he does
An evil word it is,
This Love.Written by Amiri Baraka (1934-2014)
After World War I, black communities from the south began migrating north to large cities such as Chicago and New York seeking better employment and living conditions. The migration also gave birth to a flowering of black poetry known as the Harlem Renaissance. Poets such as Claude McKay demonstrated the movement’s themes concerning pride, poverty, racism and rage. In 1950, Harlem Renaissance poet Gwendolyn Brooks won the Pulitzer Prize.
The Harlem Renaissance influenced new generations of poets and poetical movements. It was directly influenced by the Negritude movement coming out of French-speaking colonies, which rejected European colonialism. It mixed black pride with Marxist values. In turn, both influenced movements such as the Dark Room Collective and slam poetry competitions.
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