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. To One Coming North
2. The White City
3. Rest in Peace
4. Adolescence
5. Alfonso, Dressing to Wait at Table

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