Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley door pickup 10am - 7pm 3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611

  • Open Daily: 10am - 10pm
    Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm

    3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
    612-822-4611

Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm
3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611
Magnolia Leaves

Magnolia Leaves

Fordham, Mary Weston
Editions, Mint

Hardcover

Series: Black Narratives

General Poetry

Publisher Price: $10.99

ISBN10: 1513134655
ISBN13: 9781513134659
Publisher: Mint Editions
Published: Feb 15 2022
Pages: 108
Weight: 0.55
Height: 0.38 Width: 5.00 Depth: 8.00
Language: English

Magnolia Leaves (1897) is a collection of poems by Mary Weston Fordham. Published toward the end of her life, Fordham's only collection appeared in print with an introduction by Booker T. Washington, who saw in its author an undeniable gift which could prove [t]he Negro's right to be considered worthy of recognition in the field of poetic effort. Meditating on such themes as morality, labor, maternity, liberty, and faith, Mary Weston Fordham displays not only a mastery of poetic form, but a hard-earned wisdom and talent for observing life in all its forms. With hands all reddened and sore, / With back and shoulders low bent, / She stands all day, and part of the night / Till her strength is well-nigh spent. In The Washerwoman, Fordham depicts a woman whose life on earth revolves around labor, for whom life after death means the promise of hard-earned rest, to be found on the other shore. While many, if not all, of Fordham's poems revolve around Christian imagery and themes, some, including Chicago Exposition Ode, Stars and Stripes, and Alaska, reflect on the promise of freedom and liberty in the aftermath of the Civil War. Her poems strive to depict the diversity of nineteenth century America, such as in Atlanta Exposition Ode, which celebrates the end of war and the coming together of former slaves, Union soldiers, and Confederate forces alike. Song to Erin and Highland Mary depict the immigrant experience, while The Cherokee mourns the murder and displacement of America's indigenous peoples. In sixty-six poems, Mary Weston Fordham distils the experience of a lifetime and the wisdom of one who has experienced loss and found the strength to move forward. This edition of Mary Weston Fordham's Magnolia Leaves is a classic of African American literature reimagined for modern readers.

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