Analysis of America
Claude McKay 1889 (Clarendon Parish) – 1948 (Chicago)
Although she feeds me bread of bitterness,
And sinks into my throat her tiger's tooth,
Stealing my breath of life, I will confess
I love this cultured hell that tests my youth!
Her vigor flows like tides into my blood,
Giving me strength erect against her hate.
Her bigness sweeps my being like a flood.
Yet as a rebel fronts a king in state,
I stand within her walls with not a shred
Of terror, malice, not a word of jeer.
Darkly I gaze into the days ahead,
And see her might and granite wonders there,
Beneath the touch of Time's unerring hand,
Like priceless treasures sinking in the sand.
Scheme | ABCBDEDEFGFHII |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 111111100 0101110101 1011111101 1111011111 0101110111 1011010101 0101110101 1101010101 1101011101 1101010111 1011010101 0101010101 01011111 1101010001 |
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 587 |
Words | 112 |
Sentences | 6 |
Stanzas | 1 |
Stanza Lengths | 14 |
Lines Amount | 14 |
Letters per line (avg) | 33 |
Words per line (avg) | 8 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 466 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 110 |
Font size:
Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on May 01, 2023
- 34 sec read
- 1,095 Views
Citation
Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:
Style:MLAChicagoAPA
"America" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/6845/america>.
Discuss this Claude McKay poem analysis with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In