Here in Harlem, written by Walter Dean Myers, is a collection of poems intended to reflect the many voices and life experiences of Harlem’s inhabitants. The collection is an excellent resource for YA readers because it can be used as a tool to enrich many aspects of their developmental needs. The poems are particularly inspiring for African-American and urban YAs, and yet they are relatable enough so that people of all ages, cultures and backgrounds can learn from and enjoy them.
Each poem in Here in Harlem is written in the voice of a different townsperson. The titles of the poems are simply the names, ages and occupational status of the speakers. The collection is interspersed with historical photographs of actual Harlem residents which help connect the poems’ fictionalized characters to real faces. Here in Harlem is a particularly valuable resource for aiding in the development of several areas of urban teens - the social self, emotional self, reflective self, creative self and cognitive self – as defined by Hughes-Hassell and Agosto in Everyday Life Information Seeking of Urban Teenagers.
Additionally, most of the characters in the collection provide healthy role models for YAs. Interestingly, at the end of the book there is a list of real people and places intended to spark further interest and inspiration.
Although my paper goes into further detail about the above mentioned themes, I wanted to use part of this post to share my favorite poem in the collection:
Reuben Mills, 34
Artist
Vien red, bruise purple
The pallet of my soul drips slowly
Onto the canvas of this life
Flashing amber, blinding white
Garish hues screaming through the night
Orange reflections on a switchblade knife
Undertaker gray, church organ-gold
Moonlight glimmer against mahogany
A moire pattern edged in strife
Moody midnight shadings of the blues
Pink raised welt on amber back
A rich tapestry of muted hues
All to create the pointillist color of black
3 comments:
I really didn't expect to like this book as I don't enjoy poetry. Most books of poetry do not draw me in and keep me engaged. I'm thinking of the anthologies of poetry that I was given as a child - I remember each poem being detached from the others, even if they were written by the same author. Here in Harlem is surprisingly engaging because there is a continuing story of community woven into the book. I particularly enjoyed the six prose sections (in the voice of "Clara Brown") that gave you a break from the poetic style. Each section portrays Clara in another stage of her life, giving a sense of time to the collection. My favorites were "Betty Pointing, 64 - He asks me why I smile when I say I love you." and:
J. Milton Brooks, 41, UndertakerDying is not an easy trip, no matter what they say
The night ahead is long and how short was the day
I've carried these boxes, wheeled them down the aisle
And drove them slow past the Apollo for that last mile
For some it's all tears and bitter grief
Other are tired and glad of the relief
I try to move it along, try to ease the pain
I tell the kin, it's just the tired body lain
On satin sheets, faces powdered, hair combed
They lie there sleeping, they'll wake up home
But there comes a time when I have to weep
It's when we lay some teenage boy so deep
I close my eyes and pray the Lord to save
Me from watching old men shuffling children to the grave
Post a Comment