Harlem Shadows 1922 is a poetry collection by Claude McKay Published at the height of the Harlem Renaissance Harlem Shadows earned praise from legendary poet and political activist Max Eastman for its depictions of urban life and the technical mastery of its author As a committed leftist McKaywho grew up in Jamaicacaptures the life of Harlem from a realists point of view lamenting the poverty of its African American community while celebrating their resilience and cultural achievement In quotThe White Cityquot McKay observes New York its quotpoles and spires and towers vaporkissedquot and quotfortressed port through which the great ships passquot Filled him with a hatred of the inhuman scene of industry and power forced to quotmuse his lifelong hatequot he observes the transformative quality of focused anger quotMy being would be a skeleton a shell If this dark Passion that fills my every mood And makes my heaven in the white worlds hell Did not forever feed me vital bloodquot Rather than fall into despair he channels his hatred into a revolutionary spirit allowing him to stand tall within quotthe mighty cityquot In quotThe Tropics in New Yorkquot he walks past a window filled with quotBananas ripe and green and gingerroot Cocoa in pods and alligator pearsquot a feast of fresh tropical fruit that brings him back however briefly to his island home of Jamaica Recording his nostalgic response McKay captures his personal experience as an immigrant in America quotMy eyes...
