In 1912 McKay went to the U.S. to attend college, financed through prize money he had received for his first book. By 1914 he moved to New York City, leaving the thought of education behind. Here he, again, was troubled by racism. He spent a couple years in Europe — primarily in Holland, Belgium and London, and by 1921 he returned to New York.
His first novel, Home to Harlem (1928) started McKay’s shift from poetry to fiction, and later to essays. He continued to travel extensively, until the mid-1940s when he moved to Chicago to worked as a teacher for a Catholic organization.
The following poem was recently featured by Victoria Emily Jones in her blog Art & Theology. It is from McKay’s 1922 book Harlem Shadows (Harcourt Brace).
A Prayer
'Mid the discordant noises of the day I hear thee calling;
I stumble as I fare along Earth's way; keep me from falling.
Mine eyes are open but they cannot see for gloom of night:
I can no more than lift my heart to thee for inward light.
The wild and fiery passion of my youth consumes my soul;
In agony I turn to thee for truth and self-control.
For Passion and all the pleasures it can give will die the death;
But this of me eternally must live, thy borrowed breath.
'Mid the discordant noises of the day I hear thee calling;
I stumble as I fare along Earth's way; keep me from falling.
Entry written by D.S. Martin. He is the author of five poetry collections including Angelicus (2021, Cascade) ― a book of poems written from the point-of-view of angels. His books are available through Wipf & Stock.
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