Claude McKay's Early Poetry: A Digital CollectionMain MenuIntroduction: About this SiteAmardeep Singh, Lehigh UniversityConstab Ballads (1912) -- Digital EditionClaude McKay's "Constab Ballads"Songs of Jamaica (1912): Digital EditionBook of poetry by Claude McKay. Preface by Walter Jekyll.Early Uncollected Poetry (1911-1922)Uncollected Poems by Claude McKay published in Jamaican, British, and American magazinesWorkers Dreadnought PoetrySpring in New Hampshire (1920): Digital EditionHarlem Shadows (1922): Digital EditionHarlem Shadows Digital EditionSelected Poems of Claude McKay (1953)Approximating the Table of Contents of "Selected Poems of Claude McKay"Criticism and Contextual EssaysWorks CitedWorks Cited for "Claude McKay's Early Poetry (1912-1922)"TEI/XML Editions (in progress/coming soon)Links to TEI versions of these textsAmardeep Singhc185e79df2fca428277052b90841c4aba30044e1
De Hailstorm
12017-07-07T11:11:56+00:00Amardeep Singhc185e79df2fca428277052b90841c4aba30044e1691Poem by Claude McKay Published in Daily Gleaner November 11 1911plain2017-07-07T11:11:56+00:00Amardeep Singhc185e79df2fca428277052b90841c4aba30044e1
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12017-07-10T16:49:56+00:00De Hailstorm2Poem by Claude McKay. Published in Daily Gleaner November 11 1911plain2017-07-10T16:52:35+00:00 We sheltered from de rain, one night, Beneat' a spreading' mango-tree; De lightnin' cut shone clear an' bright Aroun' me an' my Idalee.
De darkenin' shadows gathered roun', De raindrops fallin' from the sky Made patt'rin' music in deir soun', While howlin' breezes hurtle by.
De night grew dark, de rain still poured, Our beatin' hearts were filled wid fears. An' down below de river roared, Her eyes were veiled with mist of tears.
De lightnin' cut, de 'tunder rolled, She trembled at de dazzling spark; Although so wet, we were not cold, -- Love warmed us, though de night was dark.
Fiercer an' fiercer waxed the storm, I kissed de tears 'way from her face, I hugged de loved an' trimblin' form, She fluttered in me fond embrace.
We slide along de sloppy pass, De fordin' place was still up high; We tried it, but we could not cross, I heard her give a smothered cry.
I took her to some school-friends near, 'De mud-mud slidin' neat' our feet; She kissed me, smilin', an' said 'Dear, We in de marnin' hope fe meet."
The to me home near by I ran, An' silently crept into bed; I slept, -- a happy, happy man, Wide love-dreams twirlin' in my head.
An' in de marnin' wakin' late, I wondered at de t'ings I saw; De place was in woeful state, My mout' was hushed in silent awe.
Banana trees lay on de groun', An' water covered off de plain; Whole fields o' yam could not be foun', It was a fearful hurricane.
De mango-tree neat' which we'd stayed Was by de lightnin' rent an' torn; What might have been had we delayed! I shivered in de sultry morn.
De brilliant sun rose to its height, An' looked do'n on de desolate scene Half changing in de golden light To different shades of blue an' green.
Since then long years have slipped away, But still I look back on de past, An t'ink upon de awful day We sheltered from de hail-storm's blast.
At times I wish de lightnin's stroke Had slain us neat' de mango-tree; It would be long-time better luck For me an' my poor Idalee.
