The Black Christ & Other Poems

by Countee Cullen

The Black Christ

& Other Poems

Other Books by

COUNTEE CULLEN

 

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COLOR

COPPER SUN

THE BALLAD OF THE BROWN GIRL

CAROLING DUSK

An Anthology of Verse by
Negro Poets

 

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Harper & Brothers

Publishers

THE

BLACK CHRIST

& Other Poems

By

COUNTEE CULLEN

With Decorations by
CHARLES CULLEN

 

Harper & Brothers Publishers

New York and London

mcmxxix

The

Black Christ

& Other Poems

Copyright

7929, by

Harper & Brothers

Printed in the

U. S. A.

*

first edition

A Book

for Three Friends

EDWARD

ROBERTA

HAROLD

¶ Acknowledgement for permission to reprint certain of these poems is made to the following magazines and collections in the pages of which they first appeared:

The Century
The New Republic
Harper's Magazine
Opportunity
The Crisis
Tambour
Ebony and Topaz
The Poetry Folio
Palms
The Archive
Time and Tide
The London Observer

¶ Grateful appreciation is also conveyed to the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation by the aid of whose grant many of these poems were written.

Contents

I	Varia
	To the Three for Whom the Book		3
	Tribute		9
	That Bright Chimeric Beast		10
	At the Etoile		12
	Two Epitaphs		14
	To an Unknown Poet		15
	Little Sonnet to Little Friends		16
	Mood		17
	Counter Mood		18
	The Wind and the Weather		19
	In the Midst of Life		20
	Minutely Hurt		22
	Never the Final Stone		23
	Light Lady		24
	By Their Fruits		25
	A Miracle Demanded		26
	Tongue-tied		27
	Ultima Verba		28
	The Foolish Heart		30
	A Wish		31
	For Helen Keller		32
	Asked and Answered		33
	Two Poets		34
	Not Sacco and Vanzetti		36
	A Song No Gentleman Would Sing to Any Lady		37
	Self Criticism		38
	A Thorn Forever in the Breast		39
	The Proud Heart		40
II	Interlude
	The Simple Truth		43
	Therefore, Adieu		44
	At a Parting		46
	Dictum		47
	Revelation		48
	Bright Bindings		49
	Ghosts		50
	Song in Spite of Myself		51
	Nothing Endures		52
	There Must Be Words		53
	One Day I Told My Love		54
	Lesson		55
	The Street Called Crooked		56
	The Law That Changeth Not		57
	Valedictory		58
III	Color
	To Certain Critics		63
	Black Majesty		64
	Song of Praise		66
	The Black Christ		69