Heritage Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDEAA FFGGHHIIJJKKLLMMNNOO PPQQRRSSTTUKUAAUKOOV VAAOIWWKKDEAA XXYYYBBZZA2A2B2B2C2C 2D2D2E2F2G2G2 H2H2I2I2J2J2AA K2K2L2L2M2M2N2N2BBO2 O2P2P2Q2Q2KKR2S2T2T2 U2U2 Q2Q2V2V2OOW2W2X2X2Y2 Y2

What is Africa to meA
Copper sun or scarlet seaA
Jungle star or jungle trackB
Strong bronzed men or regal blackB
Women from whose loins I sprangC
When the birds of Eden sangC
One three centuries removedD
From the scenes his fathers lovedE
Spicy grove cinnamon treeA
What is Africa to meA
-
So I lie who all day longF
Want no sound except the songF
Sung by wild barbaric birdsG
Goading massive jungle herdsG
Juggernauts of flesh that passH
Trampling tall defiant grassH
Where young forest lovers lieI
Plighting troth beneath the skyI
So I lie who always hearJ
Though I cram against my earJ
Both my thumbs and keep them thereK
Great drums throbbing through the airK
So I lie whose fount of prideL
Dear distress and joy alliedL
Is my somber flesh and skinM
With the dark blood dammed withinM
Like great pulsing tides of wineN
That I fear must burst the fineN
Channels of the chafing netO
Where they surge and foam and fretO
-
Africa A book one thumbsP
Listlessly till slumber comesP
Unremembered are her batsQ
Circling through the night her catsQ
Crouching in the river reedsR
Stalking gentle flesh that feedsR
By the river brink no moreS
Does the bugle throated roarS
Cry that monarch claws have leaptT
From the scabbards where they sleptT
Silver snakes that once a yearU
Doff the lovely coats you wearK
Seek no covert in your fearU
Lest a mortal eye should seeA
What's your nakedness to meA
Here no leprous flowers rearU
Fierce corollas in the airK
Here no bodies sleek and wetO
Dripping mingled rain and sweatO
Tread the savage measures ofV
Jungle boys and girls in loveV
What is last year's snow to meA
Last year's anything The treeA
Budding yearly must forgetO
How its past arose or set shy shyI
Bough and blossom flower fruitW
Even what shy bird with muteW
Wonder at her travail thereK
Meekly labored in its hairK
One three centuries removedD
From the scenes his fathers lovedE
Spicy grove cinnamon treeA
What is Africa to meA
-
So I lie who find no peaceX
Night or day no slight releaseX
From the unremittent beatY
Made by cruel padded feetY
Walking through my body's streetY
Up and down they go and backB
Treading out a jungle trackB
So I lie who never quiteZ
Safely sleep from rain at nightZ
I can never rest at allA2
When the rain begins to fallA2
Like a soul gone mad with painB2
I must match its weird refrainB2
Ever must I twist and squirmC2
Writhing like a baited wormC2
While its primal measures dripD2
Through my body crying StripD2
Doff this new exuberanceE2
Come and dance the Lover's DanceF2
In an old remembered wayG2
Rain works on me night and dayG2
-
Quaint outlandish heathen godsH2
Black men fashion out of rodsH2
Clay and brittle bits of stoneI2
In a likeness like their ownI2
My conversion came high pricedJ2
I belong to Jesus ChristJ2
Preacher of humilityA
Heathen gods are naught to meA
-
Father Son and Holy GhostK2
So I make an idle boastK2
Jesus of the twice turned cheekL2
Lamb of God although I speakL2
With my mouth thus in my heartM2
Do I play a double partM2
Ever at Thy glowing altarN2
Must my heart grow sick and falterN2
Wishing He I served were blackB
Thinking then it would not lackB
Precedent of pain to guide itO2
Let who would or might deride itO2
Surely then this flesh would knowP2
Yours had borne a kindred woeP2
Lord I fashion dark gods tooQ2
Daring even to give YouQ2
Dark despairing features whereK
Crowned with dark rebellious hairK
Patience wavers just so much asR2
Mortal grief compels while touchesS2
Quick and hot of anger riseT2
To smitten cheek and weary eyesT2
Lord forgive me if my needU2
Sometimes shapes a human creedU2
-
All day long and all night throughQ2
One thing only must I doQ2
Quench my pride and cool my bloodV2
Lest I perish in the floodV2
Lest a hidden ember setO
Timber that I thought was wetO
Burning like the dryest flaxW2
Melting like the merest waxW2
Lest the grave restore its deadX2
Not yet has my heart or headX2
In the least way realizedY2
They and I are civilizedY2

Countee Cullen



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