BLACK HISTORY MONTH

POEMS:

HARLEM
SHADOWS BY
CLAUDE
MCKAY
Rafe, Dias, Kiki
TABLE OF CONTENTS

01 02
AUTHOR ANALYSATION
 CLAUDE MCKAY
Festus Claudius McKay, born in Sunny Ville, Jamaica in
1889, became Claude McKay. He played a significant ro
le in the 1920s Harlem Renaissance literary movement.
His writings included protest poetry against economic
and racial discrimination as well as Jamaican traditiona
l writing that celebrated the life of the peasants.
His mentally ambitious fiction explores instinctual/inte
llectual duality, which McKay believed to be essential to
Black people's attempts to survive in a racist society.
Tales of Black life in both Jamaica and America are includ
ed in this collection.
Among many other books of poetry and writing, he is the
author of The Passion of Claude McKay: Selected Poetry
and writing (1973), The Dialectic Poetry of Claude McKay
(1972), Selected Poems (1953), Harlem Shadows (1922),
Constab Ballads (1912), and Songs of Jamaica (1912).
 Short Information about the poem

The poems in Harlem Shadows explore a

variety of topics, including racism, the ugly
side of city life, hate and rage, fighting
racism, love—both past and present—and
feelings of nostalgia and longing. The
author's skill with descriptive language is
evident in the rhyming rhymes. To gain a
deeper understanding of the author's style
and a sense of the message he is
attempting to convey, we will look at a
selection of these poems.
Throughout this poem, the poet engages with themes of racism and poverty. The
women he depicts are forced to survive in the only way they can, selling themselves.
They walk the streets of Harlem, freezing and no doubt in danger. This isn’t a
profession they’re happily engaged in. The poet makes it clear that these women
were forced into this position through historical racism and poverty. They have no
other way to support themselves and those they care about. The women are doing the
best they can in a truly terrible situation.
‘Harlem Shadows’ by Claude McKay is a three-stanza poem that is divided into sets
of six lines, known as sestets. The stanzas follow a consistent rhyme scheme of
ABABCC, changing end sounds from stanza to stanza. The poet uses this predictable
and seemingly upbeat pattern as a way to suggest that these aren’t the last women
he’s going to see selling themselves in this way. These women are suffering as many
have before them and will after.
Throughout this poem, the poet makes use of several literary devices. These include but are
not limited to:
• Alliteration: can be seen through the repetition of the same consonant sound
at the beginning of words. For example, “hear” and “halting” in the first line
and “lone” and “last” in line three of the second stanza.
• Enjambment: occurs when the poet cuts off a line before its natural stopping
point. Thus, for example, the transitions between lines on and two of the first
stanza as well as lines one and two of the second stanza.
 Analyzing Stanzas #1
“
I hear the halting footsteps of a lass
In Negro Harlem when the night lets fall
Its veil. I see the shapes of girls who pass
To bend and barter at desire’s call.
Ah, little dark girls who in slippered feet
Go prowling through the night from street to street!
In the first stanza of ‘Harlem Shadows,’ the
speaker begins by using several enjambed
lines to describe a sound. He’s out at night,
and he can hear the “halting footsteps” of
a woman walking through Harlem. They’re
“halting” steps. This suggests that she isn’t
entirely confident in the direction she’s
going, or perhaps she’s taking her time
getting there.
 Analyzing Stanzas #1

“ I hear the halting footsteps of a lass

In Negro Harlem when the night lets fall
Its veil. I see the shapes of girls who pass
To bend and barter at desire’s call.
The following lines contain lyrical language,
including a metaphor comparing “night” to
a “veil.” It’s dark in Harlem, covered in a
veil-like night. This evokes a feeling of
Ah, little dark girls who in slippered feet death or at least mourning.
Go prowling through the night from street to street!
 Analyzing Stanzas #1
“
I hear the halting footsteps of a lass
In Negro Harlem when the night lets fall
Its veil. I see the shapes of girls who pass
To bend and barter at desire’s call.
Ah, little dark girls who in slippered feet
Go prowling through the night from street to street!
As the next lines reveal, it turns out there is
more than one woman out at this time of
night. There are “shapes of girls” passing to
“bend and barter at desire’s call.” These
women are prostitutes, out working the
streets in the dead of night. He uses words
like “girls’ and “little” to describe these
women. This suggests that they are
innocents, young girls desperate to make
money the only way they can.
 Analyzing Stanzas #1

“ I hear the halting footsteps of a lass

In Negro Harlem when the night lets fall
Its veil. I see the shapes of girls who pass
To bend and barter at desire’s call.
the poet uses the word “prowling” in the last
line of this stanza. This paints the women in a
different light, as if they’re animals, large cats,
prowling through the streets hunting. But,
because their feet are slippered, the poet is
Ah, little dark girls who in slippered feet
also emphasizing their vulnerability.
Go prowling through the night from street to street!
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
POEMS:

HARLEM
SHADOWS BY
CLAUDE
MCKAY
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!