#Claude McKay

[typewriter-worries]

I'll Eat You Up, I Love You So

The Embrace II, Ron Hicks | Henry and June: From “A Journal of Love,” The Unexpurgated Diary (1931-1932) of Anaïs Nin, Henry Miller (@theoptia) | the night belongs to lovers, Ilaria Ratti | Dark. Sweet.: New & Selected Poems, Linda Hogan (@feral-ballad) | Intimacy, Angelica Alzona | Shame is an Ocean I Swim Across, Mary Lambert (@synbeam) | The Kiss, Edvard Munch | Summer Morn in New Hampshire, Claude McKay

[blackstarlineage]

"If a man is not faithful to his own individuality, he cannot be loyal to anything."

Claude McKay

[apoemaday]

If We Must Die

by Claude McKay

If we must die, let it not be like hogs Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot, While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs, Making their mock at our accursed lot. If we must die, O let us nobly die, So that our precious blood may not be shed In vain; then even the monsters we defy Shall be constrained to honor us though dead! O kinsmen we must meet the common foe! Though far outnumbered let us show us brave, And for their thousand blows deal one deathblow! What though before us lies the open grave? Like men we’ll face the murderous, cowardly pack, Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!

[fairiedance]

This poem, If We Must Die by Claude McKay was written during the Red Summer, 1919. It has since been adopted to support many groups facing persecution, such as the Palestinians. I paired it with a field of poppies and a faint keffiyeh pattern. I made this one last December and haven't shared it in a while so I thought I'd do so again now. You can find it here.

As always EVERYTHING I EARN from my shop is for my best friend, a Palestinian grad student living in America. The money is sent home to support his friends and family in Palestine and around the rest of the Levant who are being hurt directly and/or financially by the attacks on Gaza, the raids and economic devastation in the West Bank and the collateral damage in surrounding countries.

Here are a couple example products (shirts, sticker, framed print):

Below you can see some of my other designs. I try to incorporate a wide variety of styles so there's something for everyone, making use of various open source assets such as vintage prints and NASA photography. I have stickers, clothes, mugs, notebooks, magnets and all sorts of other things available with the designs below and many more.

You can find all my work in my shop HERE. You can add filters by product (stickers, clothes, etc) on the left or go here to browse by design. Here is the sample of my work:

Thank you so much to everyone who has helped out! We really appreciate the support and hope you are enjoying your purchases.

[lionofchaeronea]

And all things were transfigured in the day But me, whom radiant beauty could not move; For you, more wonderful, were far away, And I was blind with hunger for your love. -Claude McKay, "Summer Morn in New Hampshire"

[arinzechukwuture]

If We Must Die by Claude McKay

If we must die, let it not be like hogs

Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot,

While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs,

Making their mock at our accursèd lot.

If we must die, O let us nobly die,

So that our precious blood may not be shed

In vain; then even the monsters we defy

Shall be constrained to honor us though dead!

O kinsmen! we must meet the common foe!

Though far outnumbered let us show us brave,

And for their thousand blows deal one death-blow!

What though before us lies the open grave?

Like men we’ll face the murderous, cowardly pack,

Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!

[gravalicious]

Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven - Claude McKay and Baroness von Freytag (1920)

[theshatterednotes]

Claude McKay, American poet

[houseofpurplestars]

If We Must Die

BY CLAUDE MCKAY

If we must die, let it not be like hogs

Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot,

While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs,

Making their mock at our accursèd lot.

If we must die, O let us nobly die,

So that our precious blood may not be shed

In vain; then even the monsters we defy

Shall be constrained to honor us though dead!

O kinsmen! we must meet the common foe!

Though far outnumbered let us show us brave,

And for their thousand blows deal one death-blow!

What though before us lies the open grave?

Like men we’ll face the murderous, cowardly pack,

Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!

[obsessioncollector]

Speaking of Claude McKay! At one point I knew this classic by heart... I did a project on him in middle school and I think his Wikipedia article was the first time I came across the term "bisexual" 😊 A multifaceted legend!

[victusinveritas]

If We Must Die by Claude McKay.

If We Must Die

If we must die, let it not be like hogs

Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot,

While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs,

Making their mock at our accursèd lot.

If we must die, O let us nobly die,

So that our precious blood may not be shed

In vain; then even the monsters we defy

Shall be constrained to honor us though dead!

O kinsmen! we must meet the common foe!

Though far outnumbered let us show us brave,

And for their thousand blows deal one death-blow!

What though before us lies the open grave?

Like men we’ll face the murderous, cowardly pack,

Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!

[blackstarlineage]

Claude McKay (1889–1948) was a Jamaican-born writer, poet, and activist who played a pivotal role in the Harlem Renaissance, a cultural and intellectual movement that celebrated Black identity and artistic expression in the early 20th century. His works explored themes of racial pride, resistance to oppression, and the struggles of the African diaspora, making him one of the most influential voices in Black literature.

Born Festus Claudius McKay in Sunny Ville, Jamaica, McKay grew up in a British colonial society where he witnessed firsthand the injustices of racism and class oppression. His love for literature and poetry developed early, influenced by Jamaican folk culture and the works of British poets. At the age of 17, he moved to Kingston, where he experienced the harsh realities of urban racism, a theme that would later dominate much of his work. In 1912, he moved to the United States to study agriculture at Tuskegee Institute and later at Kansas State College. However, he soon abandoned his studies to focus on writing, driven by the racial discrimination he encountered in the U.S.

McKay became a leading figure in the Harlem Renaissance, using his poetry and novels to critique racism and injustice while celebrating Black resilience. His most famous poem, “If We Must Die” (1919), is considered a defining work of the movement. Written in response to the Red Summer of 1919, a period of violent race riots against Black communities in the U.S., the poem urges Black people to resist oppression with dignity and courage.

His literary career spanned poetry, novels, and essays that examined race, class, and colonialism. His novel Home to Harlem (1928) became the first book by a Black writer to become a bestseller in the U.S., capturing the vibrancy and struggles of Black life in Harlem. Other notable works include Banjo (1929), which explored Black identity and diaspora connections, and A Long Way from Home (1937), a memoir detailing his experiences as a writer and activist. His later years saw a shift in his political and ideological outlook, as he moved away from communism and toward Catholicism, yet he remained committed to addressing racial and social issues.

McKay’s legacy endures as one of the earliest and most powerful literary voices advocating for Black empowerment and resistance. His works continue to be studied for their bold critique of racial injustice and their celebration of the strength and resilience of the African diaspora.🇯🇲

[drsonnet]

If we must die, let it not be like hogs

ترجمة د. صهباء بندق

If we must die, let it not be like hogs

إذا لم يكن من الموتِ بُدٌ فلا نموتنّ مٍيْتة الخنازير

Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot,

نُصادُ و نُلقى في الحظائر بلا كرامة

While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs,

ومن حولنا كلابُ مسعٌورةُ تنبح

Making their mock at our accursèd lot.

ساخرة من مصيرنا اللعين ؛ المُهين

If we must die, O let us nobly die,

إذا لم يكن من الموتِ بُدٌ فلنمت أعزاء شُرفاء So that our precious blood may not be shed

ولا تُراقن دماؤنا الغالية بلا ثمن In vain; then even the monsters we defy

حينئذٍ ؛ حتى الوحوش الضارية التي نقف في وجوهها Shall be constrained to honor us though dead!

ستُضطر إلى تكريمنا ونحن أموات O kinsmen! we must meet the common foe!

أيها الرفاق ؛ يا أشقاء علينا مواجهة العدو المشترك Though far outnumbered let us show us brave,

وإن كنا أقل منه عددا وعُدة ؛ فلنتفوق عليه بالشجاعة And for their thousand blows deal one death-blow!

وفي مقابل آلاف الطِعان التي يوجهونها إلينا علينا أن نسدد إليه طعنة واحدة ؛ قاتلة What though before us lies the open grave?

ما علينا إذا كان القبرٌ في انتظارنا غداً ؟ Like men we'll face the murderous, cowardly pack,سنواجه زُمرة القتلة الجُبناء ؛ رجالاً Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!

ظهورنا إلى الجُدران؛ لكننا نردُ الطعنة بالطعنة

Claude McKayكلود مكاي(ولد في العقد الأخير من القرن التاسع عشر ؛ وهو من شعراء الزنوج الذين سخروا شعرهم للتمرد على أبناء جنسه المسخرين لخدمة البيض)

[lionofchaeronea]

Current reading is Harlem Shadows, the landmark 1922 poetry collection by the Jamaican-American author Claude McKay (1890-1948). To breathe new life into traditional forms like the sonnet, at a time when Modernism and free verse were overwhelmingly dominant, is impressive. To write of intense emotions--alienation, grief, rage--in a beautiful way is no less impressive. To do both at once is astonishing, and that is what McKay did. His work is an undying cri de coeur against racial injustice in both his native and his adopted countries, and it stands as one of the crowning achievements of the Harlem Renaissance.

[judgingbooksbycovers]

Banjo: A Novel

By Claude McKay.

Design by Vivian Lopez Rowe.

[kalisbaby]

"If We Must Die" by Claude McKay

If we must die - let it not be like hogs Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot, While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs, Making their mock at our accursed lot. If we must die - oh, let us nobly die, So that our precious blood may not be shed In vain; then even the monsters we defy Shall be constrained to honor us though dead! Oh, Kinsmen! We must meet the common foe; Though far outnumbered, let us show us brave, And for their thousand blows deal one death-blow! What though before us lies the open grave? Like men we'll face the murderous, cowardly pack, Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!