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Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Searching... Author: CULLEN, COUNTEE Matches Found: 93 Cullen, Countee Poet's Biography 93 poems available by this author A BROWN GIRL DEAD Poem Text First Line: With two white roses on her breasts Last Line: To see herself tonight Subject(s): African Americans; Negroes; American Blacks A SONG OF PRAISE Poem Text First Line: You have not heard my love's dark throat Last Line: Discovers one as fair Subject(s): African Americans; Desire; Love; Negroes; American Blacks ADVICE TO YOUTH First Line: Since little time is granted here AT THE WAILING WALL IN JERUSALEM First Line: Of all the grandeur that was solomon's Last Line: Rebuild upon the ancient site of things. ATLANTIC CITY WAITER First Line: With subtle poise he grips his tray Last Line: Set where the sun strikes free BLACK MAGDALENS First Line: These have no christ to spit and stoop Subject(s): Prostitution BLACK MAJESTY First Line: These men were kings, albeit they were black Last Line: And we were black,' three shades reply, 'but kings.' BROWN BOY TO BROWN GIRL First Line: As surely as I hold your hand in mine Last Line: I held your hand this way upon a hill, %and felt my heart forbear, my pulse grow still BROWN GIRL DEAD First Line: With two white roses on her breasts Last Line: To see herself tonight Subject(s): African Americans CHRISTUS NATUS EST Poem Text First Line: In bethlehem / on christmas morn Last Line: Hosannah! Christus natus est Subject(s): Bible; Christmas; Religion; Nativity, The; Theology CHRISTUS NATUS EST First Line: In bethlehem %on christmas morn Last Line: Hosannah! Christus natus est Subject(s): Bible; Christmas; Religion EPITAPH: A LADY I KNOW Poem Text First Line: She thinks that even up in heaven Subject(s): Heaven; Paradise EPITAPH: FOR A FOOL Poem Text First Line: On earth the wise man makes the rules EPITAPH: FOR A LADY I KNOW Poem Text First Line: She thinks that even up in heaven Last Line: To do celestial chores. Subject(s): African Americans; Religion; Social Classes; Negroes; American Blacks; Theology; Caste EPITAPH: FOR A MOUTHY WOMAN Poem Text First Line: God and the devil still are wrangling Last Line: Satan has enough in hell Variant Title(s): For A Mouthy Woman Subject(s): Bible; Religion; Theology EPITAPH: FOR A MOUTHY WOMAN First Line: God and the devil still are wrangling Last Line: Satan has enough in hell Variant Title(s): For A Mouthy Woma Subject(s): Bible; Religion EPITAPH: FOR A PREACHER Poem Text First Line: Vanity of vanities Subject(s): Vanity EPITAPH: FOR A VIRGIN LADY Poem Text First Line: For forty years I shunned the lust Last Line: I let him have his way. Subject(s): Lust; Death; Dead, The EPITAPH: FOR A WANTON Poem Text First Line: To men no more than such cover EPITAPH: FOR JOHN KEATS, APOSTLE OF BEAUTY Poem Text First Line: Not writ in water nor in mist Subject(s): Keats, John (1795-1821); Poetry & Poets EPITAPH: FOR JOHN KEATS, APOSTLE OF BEAUTY First Line: Not writ in water nor in mist Subject(s): Keats, John (1795-1821); Poetry And Poets EPITAPH: FOR MY GRANDMOTHER Poem Text First Line: This lovely flower fell to seed Last Line: That she would grow again. Subject(s): Grandparents; African Americans; Death; Flowers; Grandparents; Grandmothers; Grandfathers; Great Grandfathers; Great Grandmothers; Negroes; American Blacks; Dead, The; Grandmothers; Grandfathers; Great Grandfathers; Great Grandmothers EPITAPH: FOR MY GRANDMOTHER Poem Text First Line: This lovely flower fell to seed Last Line: That she would grow again. Subject(s): African Americans; Death; Flowers; Grandparents; Negroes; American Blacks; Dead, The; Grandmothers; Grandfathers; Great Grandfathers; Great Grandmothers EPITAPH: FOR ONE WHO GAILY SOWED HIS OATS Poem Text First Line: My days were a thing for me to live Subject(s): Carpe Diem EPITAPH: FOR PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR Poem Text First Line: Born of the sorrowful of heart Subject(s): African Americans; Dunbar, Paul Laurence (1872-1906); Negroes; American Blacks EPITAPH: FOR PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR First Line: Born of the sorrowful of heart Last Line: In jest, to hide a heart that bled Subject(s): African Americans; Dunbar, Paul Laurence (1872-1906) FOR A PESSIMIST Poem Text First Line: He wore his coffin for a hat Last Line: And waved a bit of crape Subject(s): Pessimism FOR A PESSIMIST First Line: He wore his coffin for a hat Subject(s): Pessimism FOR AMY LOWELL Poem Text First Line: She leans across a golden table Subject(s): Lowell, Amy (1874-1925) FOR DAUGHTERS OF MAGDALEN Poem Text First Line: Ours is the ancient story Last Line: That would not toil or spin Subject(s): Bible; Religion; Theology FOR DAUGHTERS OF MAGDALEN First Line: Ours is the ancient story Last Line: That would not toil or spin Subject(s): Bible; Religion FOR HAZEL HALL, AMERICAN POET First Line: Soul-troubled at the febrile ways of breath Last Line: It's kind of you to let me take your arm' FOR ONE WHO GAYLY SOWED HIS OATS First Line: My days were a thing for me to live Last Line: Rind, inner fruit, and core FROM THE DARK TOWER Poem Text First Line: We shall not always plant while others reap Last Line: And wait, and tend our agonizing seeds. Subject(s): African Americans; Negroes; American Blacks FRUIT OF THE FLOWER Poem Text First Line: My father is a quiet man Last Line: That flushes this wild fruit? Subject(s): Parents; Parenthood FRUIT OF THE FLOWER First Line: My father is a quiet man Subject(s): Parents HERITAGE Poem Text First Line: What is africa to me Subject(s): Africa; African Americans - History; Black Heritage HERITAGE First Line: What is africa to me Last Line: Lest the grave restore its dead. %not yet has my heart or head %in the least way realized %they and Subject(s): Africa; African Americans - History I HAVE A RENDEZVOUS WITH LIFE Poem Text Last Line: I keep life's rendezvous Subject(s): Fate; Life I HAVE A RENDEZVOUS WITH LIFE IN MEMORY OF COLONEL CHARLES YOUNG First Line: Along the shore the tall, thin grass Last Line: From your rich dust and slaughtered will %a tree with tongues will grow INCIDENT Poem Text First Line: Once riding in old baltimore Subject(s): African Americans; Baltimore, Maryland; Racism; Social Protest; Negroes; American Blacks; Racial Prejudice; Bigotry INCIDENT First Line: Once riding in old baltimore Last Line: Of all the things that happened there %that's all that I remember Subject(s): African Americans; Baltimore, Maryland; Racism; Social Protest KARENGE YA MARENGE Poem Text First Line: Wherein are words sublime or noble? What Subject(s): Patriotism; India; Liberty KARENGE YA MARENGE First Line: Wherein are words sublime or noble? What Last Line: At those same words cried in the english tongue? LIFE TO LOVE Poem Text First Line: Four winds and seven seas have called me friend Last Line: That love is king and creed and persian law Subject(s): Bible; Religion; Theology LIFE TO LOVE, SELS. First Line: Four winds and seven seas have called me friend Last Line: That love is king and creed and persian law Subject(s): Bible; Religion LINES TO CERTAIN OF ONE'S ELDERS Poem Text First Line: You, too listless to examine Last Line: Than go ambling with the ague. LINES TO MY FATHER Poem Text First Line: The many sow, but only the chosen reap; Subject(s): Fathers LOSS OF LOVE First Line: All through an empty place I go LOST ZOO Subject(s): Alphabet Verse MAGNETS First Line: The straight, the swift, the debonair Last Line: These magnets draw my heart their way MARY, MOTHER OF CHRIST Poem Text First Line: That night she felt those searching hands Last Line: How could she know the rest? Subject(s): Christmas; Nativity, The MARY, MOTHER OF CHRIST First Line: That night she felt those searching hands Subject(s): Christmas NEAR WHITE First Line: Ambiguous of race they stand Last Line: And cry, 'my sister' or 'my brother' ONE WHO SAID ME NAY First Line: This much the gods vouchaefe today PROTEST First Line: I long not now, a little while at least PROUD HEART First Line: That lively organ, paliptant and red SATURDAY'S CHILD Poem Text First Line: Some are teethed on a silver spoon Subject(s): Holidays; Labor & Laborers; Work; Workers SATURDAY'S CHILD First Line: Some are teethed on a silver spoon Last Line: The only kind of middle wife %my folks could beg or borrow Subject(s): Holidays; Labor And Laborers SCOTTSBORO, TOO, IS WORTH ITS SONG Poem Text First Line: I said Subject(s): African Americans; Negroes; American Blacks SCOTTSBORO, TOO, IS WORTH ITS SONG First Line: I said Last Line: Surely, I said, %now will the poets sing. %but they have raised no cry. %I wonder why Subject(s): African Americans SHE OF THE DANCING FEET SINGS First Line: And what would I do in haven, pray SHROUD OF COLOR First Line: Lord, being dark, I said, I cannot bear Last Line: My sight was clear; I looked and saw the rising sun SIMON THE CYRENIAN SPEAKS Poem Text First Line: He never spoke a word to me Last Line: With bruise of lash or stone. Variant Title(s): Shadowed Subject(s): Bible; Jesus Christ; Religion; Simon Of Cyrene; Theology SONG IN SPITE OF MYSELF First Line: Never love with all your heart Last Line: And find another lover SONG OF PRAISE First Line: You have not heard my love's dark throat Last Line: Then seal your lips until the sun %discovers one as fair Subject(s): African Americans; Desire; Love SPIRIT VISION Poem Text First Line: Against our puny sound and sight Last Line: Hues never thought there unrevealed Subject(s): Keller, Helen (1880-1968) SPIRIT VISION First Line: Against our puny sound and sight Last Line: Hues never thought there unrevealed Subject(s): Keller, Helen (1880-1968) TABLEAU Poem Text First Line: Locked arm in arm they cross the way Subject(s): Friendship TABLEAU First Line: Locked arm in arm they cross the way Last Line: That lightning brilliant as a sword %should blaze the path of thunder Subject(s): Friendship THAT BRIGHT CHIMERIC BEAST THE LITANY OF THE DARK PEOPLE Poem Text First Line: Our flesh that was a battle-ground Last Line: Are merged in paradise. Subject(s): Bible; Christmas; Jesus Christ; Religion; Nativity, The; Theology THE LOST ZOO Poem Text First Line: We wear the mask that grins and lies Last Line: We wear the mask Subject(s): Alphabet Verse THE UNKNOWN COLOR Poem Text First Line: I've often heard my mother say Subject(s): Wind THE WIND BLOWETH WHERE IT LISTETH Poem Text First Line: Live like the wind, he said, 'unfettered' Subject(s): Human Behavior; Conduct Of Life; Human Nature THOUGHTS IN A ZOO Poem Text First Line: They in their cruel traps, and we in ours, Subject(s): Zoos THRENODY FOR A BROWN GIRL Poem Text First Line: Weep not, you who love her Last Line: We need elegies. Subject(s): Death; African American Women; Dead, The TO A BROWN GIRL First Line: What if this glance is bold and free TO AN UNKNOWN POET First Line: Love is enough,' I read somewhere TO CERTAIN CRITICS Poem Text First Line: Then call me traitor if you must, Subject(s): Criticism And Critics; Race Awareness TO JOHN KEATS, POET, AT SPRING TIME Poem Text First Line: I cannot hold my peace, john keats Last Line: John keats, keep revel with me, too. Subject(s): Keats, John (1795-1821); Poetry & Poets; Spring TO LOVERS OF EARTH: FAIR WARNING First Line: Give over to high things the fervent thought TO THE SWIMMER Poem Text First Line: Now as I watch you, strong of arm and endurance, battling and struggling Subject(s): Swimming & Swimmers TWO THOUGHTS OF DEATH Poem Text First Line: When I am dead, it will not be Subject(s): Death; Dead, The UNCLE JIM Poem Text Subject(s): Race Awareness UNCLE JIM First Line: White folks is white,' says uncle jim Last Line: My mind should stray the grecian urn %to muse on uncle jim UNDER THE MISTLETOE Poem Text First Line: I did not know she'd take it so Last Line: Or else I never dared Subject(s): Christmas; Nativity, The UNDER THE MISTLETOE First Line: I did not know she'd take it so Last Line: I did not know she'd take it so, %or else I'd never dared Subject(s): Christmas UNKNOWN COLOR First Line: I've often heard my mother say Last Line: Poor little pigs, they see the wind' Subject(s): Wind WISDOM COMETH WITH THE YEARS Poem Text First Line: Now I am young and credulous Last Line: The barren days come, too. Subject(s): Aging; Wisdom YET DO I MARVEL Poem Text First Line: I doubt not god is good, well-meaning, kind Subject(s): African Americans; Racism; Negroes; American Blacks; Racial Prejudice; Bigotry YET DO I MARVEL First Line: I doubt not god is good, well-meaning, kind Last Line: Yet do I marvel at this curious thing: %to make a poet black, and bid him sing Subject(s): African Americans; Racism |
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