AND STILL , WE MARVEL
By SHERI BOOKER
In 1925 , Countee Cullen penned “ Yet Do I Marvel ,” a sonnet that wrestled with the contradictions of Black existence being divinely created yet bound by earthly injustice .
Nearly sixty years later , the distinguished poet Maya Angelou echoed a similar tension in “ Caged Bird ,” where the titular bird , though trapped , refuses silence , lifting its voice in defiant song . These works – spanning generations – embody the literary tradition of Black writers who grapple with oppression while forging new paths toward liberation .
Today , that tradition endures .
From the speculative worlds of N . K . Jemisin to the searing cultural critiques of Ta-Nehisi Coates and the lyrical resistance of Amanda Gorman , Black writers continue to shape the narrative of race , identity , and justice . They are the inheritors of Cullen ’ s wonderment and Angelou ’ s hopeful self-expression , which illuminates the struggles and triumphs of Black life in America .
The younger generation , Alain Locke said in “ Enter the New Negro ,” his seminal work of the Harlem Renaissance , “ is vibrant with a new psychology , the new spirit is awake in the masses , and under the very eyes of the professional observer is transforming what had been a perennial problem into the progressive phases of contemporary ( Black ) life .”
Locke was talking about Black life in 1925 , as seen through his eyes . But that assessment seems to have foretold the power and impact , 100 years later , of the current generation of Black literary voices , people like :
Jesmyn Ward : Chronicler of Black Resilience
Key Works : “ Salvage the Bones ” ( 2011 ), “ Sing , Unburied , Sing ” ( 2017 )
National Book Award recipient , Jesmyn Ward ’ s , writing embodies the poetic lament of Cullen ’ s “ Yet Do I Marvel ” with a reflection on the trials imposed upon Black bodies while marveling at their endurance . Her deeply lyrical prose captures the weight of generational trauma and the spirit of survival . In her novel “ Sing , Unburied , Sing ,” ghosts of the past haunt the present , much like the metaphorical cage Angelou once described . Yet Ward ’ s work is not just about suffering ; it is about the resilience of Southern Black life and the ways families forge love and legacy despite adversity .
Amanda Gorman : Lyrical Torchbearer of Hope
Key Works : “ The Hill We Climb ” ( 2021 ), “ Call Us What We Carry ” ( 2021 )
The young poet , Amanda Gorman debuted as a voice of truth with her original poem “ The Hill We Climb ,” delivered at the 2021 presidential inauguration . In just a few stanzas , she painted a portrait of America ’ s unfinished struggle with race and justice , while insisting on the possibility of progress . Like Cullen , Gorman marvels at the contradictions of Black existence – faced with hardship , yet overflowing with brilliance . Her work reminds us that poetry is a tool for resistance , celebration , and transformation .
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