Color (AmazonClassics Edition)

Countee Cullen was already a prominent literary figure when he published Color, his auspicious debut collection of poetry. In deceptively simple verse, and in harmony with lyric tradition rather than rebellion against it, Cullen covered such complex terrain as race, faith, mortality, sexuality, and identity. Cullen may be less well known today than his contemporaries, but his emotional candor, creative ambition, and impudent humor retain an unforgettable spark. Cullen’s work in Color speaks to many universal themes, but it also serves, ultimately, as a deeply personal self-portrait by one of the richest and most distinguished voices of the Harlem Renaissance.

Revised edition: Previously published as Color, this edition of Color (AmazonClassics Edition) includes editorial revisions.