In the Mecca; Poems
Set in Chicago's aging apartment building called the Mecca, this poetry collection follows a mother's search for her missing child and traces loss, tension, and solidarity within a Black urban community.
Work Information
The book follows the traces of loss and memory inside a towering building, rendered with sharp observation and verbal precision.
Published by Harper & Row in 1968, this poetry collection is centered on the long poem "In the Mecca." From events surrounding the Chicago building known as the Mecca, Brooks evokes everyday poverty, violence, hope, and the texture of community. The shorter poems that follow also touch on contemporary figures and events such as Medgar Evers and Malcolm X, capturing the urgency of the moment in poetic form.
Review Summaries
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Its urban immediacy and tense imagery are widely appreciated, while the fragmentary structure and dense symbolism can divide readers.
Book Information
- Publisher
- HarperCollins
- Published
- 1968-06-01
- Language
- 英語
- ISBN-13
- 9780060105372
- ISBN-10
- 0060105372
- Category
- 洋書/Literature & Fiction
Contains a long narrative poem reflecting life in Chicago's Negro ghetto and 9 shorter poems based on contemporary figures and events
Reviews
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Great!
Gwendolyn Brooks is a master poet! Using a master story-teller's technique, she creates her own form while still showing her prowess as an artist and using traditional forms with the long poem. A careful analysis can teach an aspiring poet a lot!