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Songs of Jamaica - (Mint Editions (Tales from the Caribbean)) by Claude McKay (Paperback)

Songs of Jamaica - (Mint Editions (Tales from the Caribbean)) by  Claude McKay (Paperback) - 1 of 1
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About this item

Highlights

  • Songs of Jamaica (1912) is a poetry collection by Claude McKay.
  • Author(s): Claude McKay
  • 126 Pages
  • Poetry, Caribbean & Latin American
  • Series Name: Mint Editions (Tales from the Caribbean)

Description



Book Synopsis



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 tas'e 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 Jamaica's 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."

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.



From the Back Cover



"You tas'e 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.

Dimensions (Overall): 8.0 Inches (H) x 5.0 Inches (W) x .3 Inches (D)
Weight: .32 Pounds
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Number of Pages: 126
Series Title: Mint Editions (Tales from the Caribbean)
Genre: Poetry
Sub-Genre: Caribbean & Latin American
Publisher: Mint Editions
Format: Paperback
Author: Claude McKay
Language: English
Street Date: May 28, 2021
TCIN: 83866434
UPC: 9781513299358
Item Number (DPCI): 247-27-4555
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
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Shipping details

Estimated ship dimensions: 0.3 inches length x 5 inches width x 8 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 0.32 pounds
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