Harlem Nights and Footstep Blues

By Julius Jamaal McLean

Harlem Nights and Footstep Blues is a poetry collection consisting of 65 poems. The poems are separated into 11 distinct sections that tell their own story, while still fitting into the overall story of the collection. Although not limited to African American influences and content, the collection is very much inspired by the work of African American poets and writers like Langston Hughes, Paul Laurence Dunbar, James Baldwin, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Frederick Douglass and from the black cultural, social, and artistic revival that took place during the period known as the Harlem Renaissance.

Harlem Nights and Footstep Blues is about encapsulating the Harlem Renaissance state of mind and encouraging young black minds to express themselves and “catch a glimmer of their own beauty” as Langston Hughes urged his young black contemporaries to do in his essay "The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain" (1926), albeit with modern flair. The creative license that black artists had to express themselves and their art during the Harlem Renaissance is the blueprint for the poetry and artistic expression in the collection. Harlem Nights and Footstep Blues is rooted in a modern sense of black cultural, social, and artistic rebirth while paying homage to the artistic foundation laid by the great pioneers of the past.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Julius Jamaal McLean
• Release date: Apr 29, 2016
• ISBN: 9780997172621

Julius Jamaal McLean

A native of South Florida, Julius Jamaal McLean is an African American writer, poet, and creator striving to encourage, influence, and represent the voice of young artists. Inspired by the work and creativity of African American writers like Langston Hughes and James Baldwin, his debut poetry book Harlem Nights and Footstep Blues evolved organically from a desire to create something relatable, impactful, and relevant to modern social issues and culture. Julius’ poetry is a way for him to speak from the perspective of those from his demographic who are not given the opportunity to speak for themselves often. His desire is for the sound of his own voice to ignite the passion within those of his generation and motivate them to express themselves in the same manner.

Book preview

Acknowledgments

I thank God for the opportunity that I’ve been given in this world to create meaningful work. I also would like to thank all of my family, friends, supporters, and everyone who has listened to or read and enjoyed anything that I’ve ever written. Many of those individuals have left an indelible impact on my life and, as a result, have influenced and inspired the eclectic mix of work contained in this collection. I wouldn’t have been able to create everything in the way that I have without their impact. My mother has always been an example of how to pursue a desire fervently through her diligence and dedication. I’m grateful to have her as an example that has prepared me in the pursuit of all my endeavors in life. I have to thank my sister Andrea and my aunt Carol for their unwavering support. My grandmother Nellie has been a constant source of inspiration, both while living and even now after her passing. She still serves as a shining example of how a full life should be lived. My cousin Clint has been a mental sparring partner for me, and he has proved to be a peer who has inspired me to increase my level of performance in everything, including the process of writing this collection. My high-school teacher Ms. Jones challenged me as a writer more than anyone ever has. She also made me believe in my ability to write, and for that I thank her. Two Nupes, Kareem and Omari, have helped me cultivate my ability to think and write critically and creatively. Their mentorship has been instrumental in my personal and artistic growth. Langston Hughes has been the mentor whom I’ve never met, and his influence can be found throughout my work. I have to thank Justin Reed for his wonderful cover art, which is visually reflective of everything that this collection represents. I’m very appreciative of his creative vision. Finally, I would like to thank my nephews and little cousins because they are constantly showing me and reminding me of the power of youth, enthusiasm, and every other important thing that I’ve forgotten as I’ve progressed through life.

Seeds

A Baby’s Eyes

What lives within a baby’s eyes?

Wonder? Confusion? Surprise?

Twinkling stars of essence—

Uncompromised.

Those bright little eyes—

Searching the skies—

Surfing on imaginative

Boards fueled by Power Cosmic.

What lives within a baby’s eyes?

Things that we no longer realize

Are dear.

A baby’s eyes are clear.

A baby’s eyes don’t veer

Away from the truth.

A baby’s eyes are pure—

Full of youth

And unbridled curiosity.

A baby’s eyes contain a flame

That becomes dormant in older age,

A flame that we should rekindle again.

The child is the father of man

Who once understood what

Man must understand again,

After the degenerative

Loss of his natural intuitiveness.

A baby’s eyes are uninfluenced

By society’s environmental pollutants.

A baby’s eyes contain the blueprint

For achieving unparalleled bliss.

A baby’s eyes should be prized

As a