Songs of Jamaica by Claude McKay (English) Hardcover Book

Description: Songs of Jamaica by Claude McKay, Mint Editions Songs of Jamaica (1912) is a poetry collection by Claude McKay. Published before the poet left Jamaica for the United States, Songs of Jamaica is a pioneering collection of verse written in Jamaican Patois, the first of its kind. As a committed leftist, McKay was a keen observer of the Black experience in the Caribbean, the American South, and later in New York, where he gained a reputation during the Harlem Renaissance for celebrating the resilience and cultural achievement of the African American community while lamenting the poverty and violence they faced every day. "Quashie to Buccra," the opening poem, frames this schism in terms of labor, as one class labors to fulfill the desires of another: "You tase petater an you say it sweet, / But you no know how hard we wuk fe it; / You want a basketful fe quattiewut, / Cause you no know how tiff de bush fe cut." Addressing himself to a white audience, he exposes the schism inherent to colonial society between white and black, rich and poor. Advising his white reader to question their privileged consumption, dependent as it is on the subjugation of Jamaicas black community, McKay warns that "hardship always melt away / Wheneber it comes roun to reapin day." This revolutionary sentiment carries throughout Songs of Jamaica, finding an echo in the brilliant poem "Whe fe do?" Addressed to his own people, McKay offers hope for a brighter future to come: "We needn fold we han an cry, / Nor vex we heart wid groan and sigh; / De best we can do is fe try / To fight de despair drawin night: / Den we might conquer by an by- / Dat we might do." This edition of Claude McKays Songs of Jamaica is a classic of Jamaican literature reimagined for modern readers.Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book.With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe. FORMAT Hardcover LANGUAGE English CONDITION Brand New Back Cover "You tase petater an you say it sweet, / But you no know how hard we wuk fe it." In his debut collection, the first published in Jamaican Patois, Claude McKay addresses himself to a white audience, addressing the schism inherent to colonial society between white and black, rich and poor. Songs of Jamaica is a poetry collection by Claude McKay. Flap "You tase petater an you say it sweet, / But you no know how hard we wuk fe it." In his debut collection, the first published in Jamaican Patois, Claude McKay addresses himself to a white audience, addressing the schism inherent to colonial society between white and black, rich and poor. Songs of Jamaica is a poetry collection by Claude McKay. Author Biography Claude McKay (1889-1948) was a Jamaican poet and novelist. Born in Sunny Ville, Jamaica, McKay was raised in a strict Baptist family alongside seven siblings. Sent to live with his brother Theo, a journalist, at the age of nine, McKay excelled in school while reading poetry in his free time. In 1912, he published his debut collection Songs of Jamaica, the first poems written in Jamaican Patois to appear in print. That same year, he moved to the United States to attend the Tuskegee Institute, though he eventually transferred to Kansas State University. Upon his arrival in the South, he was shocked by the racism and segregation experienced by Black Americans, which—combined with his reading of W. E. B. Du Bois work—inspired him to write political poems and to explore the principles of socialism. He moved to New York in 1914 without completing his degree, turning his efforts to publishing poems in The Seven Arts and later The Liberator, where he would serve as co-executive editor from 1919 to 1922. Over the next decade, he would devote himself to communism and black radicalism, joining the Industrial Workers of the World, opposing the efforts of Marcus Garvey and the NAACP, and travelling to Britain and Russia to meet with communists and write articles for various leftist publications. McKay, a bisexual man, was also a major figure of the Harlem Renaissance, penning Harlem Shadows (1922), a successful collection of poems, and Home to Harlem (1928), an award-winning novel exploring Harlems legendary nightlife. Long Description Songs of Jamaica (1912) is a poetry collection by Claude McKay. Published before the poet left Jamaica for the United States, Songs of Jamaica is a pioneering collection of verse written in Jamaican Patois, the first of its kind. As a committed leftist, McKay was a keen observer of the Black experience in the Caribbean, the American South, and later in New York, where he gained a reputation during the Harlem Renaissance for celebrating the resilience and cultural achievement of the African American community while lamenting the poverty and violence they faced every day. "Quashie to Buccra," the opening poem, frames this schism in terms of labor, as one class labors to fulfill the desires of another: "You tase petater an you say it sweet, / But you no know how hard we wuk fe it; / You want a basketful fe quattiewut, / Cause you no know how tiff de bush fe cut." Addressing himself to a white audience, he exposes the schism inherent to colonial society between white and black, rich and poor. Advising his white reader to question their privileged consumption, dependent as it is on the subjugation of Jamaicas black community, McKay warns that "hardship always melt away / Wheneber it comes roun to reapin day." This revolutionary sentiment carries throughout Songs of Jamaica , finding an echo in the brilliant poem "Whe fe do?" Addressed to his own people, McKay offers hope for a brighter future to come: "We needn fold we han an cry, / Nor vex we heart wid groan and sigh; / De best we can do is fe try / To fight de despair drawin night: / Den we might conquer by an by-- / Dat we might do." With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Claude McKays Songs of Jamaica is a classic of Jamaican literature reimagined for modern readers. Details ISBN1513209388 Author Mint Editions Series Mint Editions Language English Year 2021 ISBN-10 1513209388 ISBN-13 9781513209388 Format Hardcover Place of Publication Portland Country of Publication United States Pages 126 Publication Date 2021-09-23 NZ Release Date 2021-09-23 US Release Date 2021-09-23 UK Release Date 2021-09-23 Alternative 9781513299358 DEWEY 811.52 Audience General AU Release Date 2021-11-15 Publisher Mint Editions Imprint Mint Editions Illustrations Illustrations We've got this At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it. With fast shipping, low prices, friendly service and well over a million items - you're bound to find what you want, at a price you'll love! TheNile_Item_ID:168758305;

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