Poem Analysis : Tableau And Incident

The poems “Tableau” and “Incident” by Countee Cullen are about racism, but both have a different take on it. The African American author wrote in 1900’s , when racism was common and more acceptable. Cullen’s work became more popular during the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920’s. Both poems are developed with different writing mechanics to convey a clear message to the reader or audience. Cullen uses figurative language and tone to develop the theme in each text.

American history is fraught with racism. Its evolution is depicted in literature through the ages, from journal entries of colonial slavery to novels about modern-day race relations. Countee Cullen was a black poet alive during the Harlem Renaissance whose poems “Tableau” and “Incident” portray racism as it was in the early 20th century. Through the use of figurative language and tone, Cullen develops in each poem themes about the effects of small actions.

Richard Blanco is a Cuban- American poet who was given the oppurunity to write an inaugaration poem for Barack Obama's second swearing-in. He wrote a poem titled "One Today" that praised the good and unique things about the United States and also the everyday people who's daily routines help to make America the proud country that it is.

Lorna Dee Cervantes' poem, “Poema para los Californios Muertos” (“Poem for the Dead Californios”), is a commentary on what happened to the original inhabitants of California when California was still Mexico, and an address to the speaker's dead ancestors. Utilizing a unique dynamic, consistently alternating between Spanish and English, Cervantes accurately represents the fear, hatred, and humility experienced by the “Californios” through rhythm, arrangement, tone, and most importantly, through use of language.

Clint Smith is a writer, teacher, and doctoral candidate in Education at Harvard University with a concentration in Culture, Institutions, and Society. Smith Clint wrote a poem called “Something You should Know.” The poem is about an early job he had in a Petsmart. The poet allows the readers into his personal life, but before he had trouble opening up to people and his work. Moreover, Clint wrote an insight in the poem about relying in anything to feel safe and he says it is the most terrifying thing any person can do.

Throughout the poem Incident by Countee Cullen, the author uses the change of tone to reflect the ideas and purpose of the Harlem Renaissance. Throughout the poem, the tone changes from the young child being thrilled about arriving to a heartbreaking memory. In the poem, cullen writes “Once riding in old Baltimore? Heart-filled, head filled with glee/ I saw a Baltimorean/ Keep looking straight at me/ Now I was eight and very small,/ And he was no whit bigger,” (lines 1-6). In this part of the poem, the child had just recently arrived in Baltimore and is more than excited to be in a different place other than in the plantations. He’s very optimistic about meeting someone whom he thought would be his friend. The tone explains how during the Harlem

The Harlem Renaissance allowed for the expression of many African American artists such as Countee Cullen to illustrate the indifference of blacks and whites through poetry. Cullen wrote Tableau as well as Incident, which share a tone of power. The racial interaction between a black and white boy in the two poems both contradict and have similarities. Developing their separate themes comes with the comparison of the two races and how they treat one another. Countee Cullen uses figurative language and tone to formulate the themes of the two works of literacy.

The legacy Countee Cullen, constructed, has made one of the biggest impacts on the era of segregation. The message Cullen was capable of imposing through poetry to all races makes you believe he was destined to be the best. The struggles the African American, race was experiencing is exposed through Countee Cullen’s, work. He brought new respect and awareness to the black race; through poems like “Heritage”, “Fruit of The Flower,” and “Incident”. The fact Cullen was educated by whites yet, his ideas were shaped by black ideas made him capable of appealing to both races. This made him much of an economic figure.

The Harlem Renaissance was a turning point for the United States as a whole, but more importantly African American Culture. African Americans in the United States became more prominent and involved in society. Culturally and artistically African Americans began to thrive as they began to fully express themselves and become more involved in American society. Countee Cullen, an African American, was apart of the artistic movement. Through his writing Cullen exemplified the struggle and hardships African Americans faced and created a call for equality. Cullen wrote the poem “Tableau” to demonstrate the varying views of racism. In “Tableau” Countee Cullen communicates a desire to end racial injustice through the use

Countee Cullen and his poem “Yet Do I Marvel” talks about the relationship between God and man but the main point of the poem is his position in the world as a being black and being a black poet. His skin color is placed

Countee Cullen and Langston Hughes, both great feats of the Harlem Renaissance. Although they have that similarity, there are many differences. Not only is this in how they grew up, but also in their writing styles. One of the Famous poems “Harlem” by Langston Hughes, shows more of an inner struggle rather than a struggle between races. On the other hand Countee Cullen shows in his poem “Tableau” that the world is being divided by both races. Through this representation Innocent and Captivated Children are looked down upon behind closed curtains.

The author attempts to convey his or her reader by using words that have a eerie and ominous connotation as well as denotation. For example, the author uses verbs such as “stalking”. The word stalking has a negative connotation that reminds me of kidnappings and foreshadowing something unpleasant that will happen soon. Its denotation is the action of pursuing something stealthily, like a lion stalking its prey. A lion stalking its prey usually means that death will follow soon, which adds to the connotation of stalking. Also, the author uses the phrase “strives to rend the rafters”. The definition of rend is to pull or tear violently and rafters help support and covers a roof. When something is torn violently, it usually means that whoever, or whatever, is doing it is angry or has a

Drip. Drip. Drip. The colorless solution drips at a steady rate, flowing through the tube of life. The tube that if I was disconnected from, I’d die a torturous death that everybody dreads. The solution glides down the tube and tingles as it enters me, but as it does, it begins to kill me. At the same time, though, it kills the demon that brought me here. The solution creates a feeling of warmth at my skin, but I am in an envelop of frigidness. My skin loses its magnificent white and is replaced by the icy color of paleness.

I love you, and you know its true. My life to the sword if I should be untrue. The pain I feel in missing you, is subverted by you being true. the pain of absence as it seems, will surely be but a short dream. understanding in times of need, is really what we all need. if you hold my will, i shall be still. you will see that by the by, i will not fly. on this earth, where fruit is grown. we shall plant in earnest for others to yearn.

Both poems, “Tableau” and “Incident”, were written by Countee Cullen during the African-American cultural, social, and artistic explosion known as the Harlem Renaissance. The overarching theme of “Tableau” and “Incident” is racial prejudice and inequality. Each poem is tells a powerful evocative story in three quatrains. Cullen’s poem “Tableau” addresses the acceptance of interracial relationships while “Incident” addresses the racial superiority of one race over another. Even though the poems tell different stories, they share a common idea of the need for acceptance and equality.