Poem by Claude McKay

I Know My Soul

I plucked my soul out of its secret place, 
And held it to the mirror of my eye, 
To see it like a star against the sky, 
A twitching body quivering in space, 
A spark of passion shining on my face. 
And I explored it to determine why 
This awful key to my infinity 
Conspires to rob me of sweet joy and grace. 
And if the sign may not be fully read, 
If I can comprehend but not control, 
I need not gloom my days with futile dread, 
Because I see a part and not the whole. 
Contemplating the strange, I’m comforted 
By this narcotic thought: I know my soul.

1. The Barrier
2. North and South
3. When Dawn Comes to the City
4. Home Thoughts
5. Wild May

Print

1125 Views

Last Poems

To Russian version