Claude McKay "A Red Flower"

When I think of Claude McKay's poetry, I immediately think of his empowering protest poem "If We Must Die".  However, after reading "A Red Flower" I discovered that McKay's poetry is not defined by that protest poem.  While the majority of his poetry deals with him being an African American in a society that practiced segregation, his poetry did cover more universal themes as well.  

In "A Red Flower", McKay talks about a woman that his is obviously overwhelmingly in love with.  The words he uses to describe this woman lead the reader to believe that she is some sort of ethereal goddess, a strong and beautiful woman with the ability to capture any man's heart.  In my favorite lines of this poem (it was hard to pick just a few) McKay writes, "Your lips betray the secret of your soul,/The dark delicious essence that is you".  McKay's words convey a sense of respect and reverence for this woman's beauty and power.  She is not being objectified, rather she is being respected and cherished.

What strikes me most about this poem is McKay's ability to manipulate language in such a way that it makes the reader feel the emotions of the speaker of the poem.  I know all poetry is written with this intention, but let's face it, a lot of poets miss the mark.  Some poets become to obsessed with imagery or breaking down the conventions of grammar, that the meaning and emotion becomes lost.  However, in this poem McKay is using imagery and language in a way that enhances the feelings he wishes to convey.  He is speaking to the heart and soul of the individual in a way that anyone can understand.