African American Poetry: A Digital Anthology

Anita Scott Coleman, "The Colorist" (1925)

God is an Indian--He loves gay color so . . . 
Red, yellow, purple, oranges and blue
Are in the sky at sunset; at the sunrise, too.
God is Irish--He likes green color best.
All the trees and grasses in green garments oft-times dress.
God is Saxon, stern and cold. 
For snow is white and ice is cold.
The downy clouds are white. And a 
White moon peeks; when lovers pledge their truth.
Cotton is white and snowy lambkin's fleece.

God is African--for night is robed in black.
The twinkling stars are black men's eyes. 
The black clouds, tempests tell.
While little seeds of flowers birthed are
Tans and brown and black. . . . 


Published in The Crisis, May 1925

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