First of all, I'd like to open with this thought: the poems of Countee Cullen are, as we discussed in class, a bit more rigid and traditional in form. However, in my opinion, they are some of the most emotionally loaded poems that we've addressed so far, because Cullen seems to have so much saddness and anger that comes across in the stories he tells. Out of all the poems we read in this packet, "Incident" stood out most. In fact, I found myself coming back to the poem's story over and over again because it was just so tragically beautiful. I will post it here, just in case anyone doesn't remember the poem.
Incident
Once riding in old Baltimore,
Heart-filled, head-filled with glee,
I saw a Baltimorean
Keep looking straight at me.
Now I was eight and very small,
And he was no whit bigger,
And so I smiled, but he poked out
His tongue, and called me, "Nigger."
I saw the whole of Baltimore
From May until December;
Of all the things that happened there
That's all that I remember.
This poem addresses a problem on two different levels, and I would like to examine both of them briefly. First of all, the very obvious problem this touches on is the effect that racism has on young children affected by it. I view this poem as a sort of testimony to the long-lasting effects of racism. Cullen points out that racist names and jokes were thrown around, and that it was not uncommon to hear "nigger" ringing through the streets. The poem is not adorned with poetric elements -- rather it is fairly straight-forward, and I believe that Cullen follows a traditional structural form intentionally. The straight-foward nature of the poem makes the little boy's story both blunt and poignent at the same time. I know that their stories are not EXACLTY the same, but the little boy in "Incident" reminds me of Ruby Bridges and all of the rude, blatantly racist comments made to her when she tried to do something very common: walk from her home to her first day of elementary school. I imagine that the comments made to Ruby stuck with her more than anything she ever learned in school.
Secondly, on a bit deeper level, I think Cullen's poem transcends racism, and communicates how any feelings of hatred last more than feelings of happiness. I feel like this is a poem that everyone, race aside, can connect to. Personally, I can recall the time when a girl who I thought was my best friend tell me that I was fat on the playground in approximately second grade. I don't remember anything else that happened in our friendship except that. I'm sure that many people can think of a similar situation where all that sticks out in their mind is the negative aspect.
I think that if I were in the position of the speaker, "nigger" would be the only thing I could remember, too.
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5 comments:
I agree that the poem, Incident is very relatable for everyone that reads it. I also wrote about this poem in my blog because I thought that it was one of Cullen’s most powerful poems. It is very true that one incident, whether it involves race or not, can stick out in a person’s mind. Words, especially racist remarks, have the power to stay with a person throughout a lifetime. Cullen captured this idea in one simple poem.
I also agree that incident was a very powerful poem. I think that in this poem Cullen was straight to the point and there was not a lot of covert language. It was easy to understand and relate to. Everyone can read this poem and instantly recall a situation that has scared them for life for one reason or another. We have all been in a situation where we have expected great things from a place or person and at one time or another been disappointed by that very situation.
I think that this poem was particularly catchy because it was nursery rhyme ish and had a singsong affect when reading it.
I was also thinking that this poem could be one of the folk tales that a mom or dad may have told a child at the time. This is a short piece that directly points to situations that possibly all African Americans of the time have been in.
Wow, I never really thought about the way racism was a lasting effect on a young child. Wow, now that I think about it if this is what Cullen experienced, as he grew older he dedicated a whole poem to this experience. It just proves that sometimes what we say can impact somebody's life!
I also think that this poem was powerful. I think that as a child things that people say that hurt you stick with you because as a child you dont understand why they say these things. But even as an adutl if someone hurts you exspecially with a racist remark it will stick in your mind. So i think this poems relates to racism but also is unversial theme getting hurt by other people happpens to everyone young,old black, or white.
I agree that Cullen's powems seem to be very powerful. I also agree that this one is especially powerful. I can only imagine being a child and being called such a deragotory name. THe child was so affected by it that that is all he remembered. Cullen really stops and takes a look at just how much a word can mean.
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