Harlem: a poem by Walter Dean Myers

Myers, W. D., & Myers, C. (1997). Harlem. New York: Scholastic Press.

Walter Dean Myers does a fantastic job again, bringing us right into the heart of his background with this poetic tribute to the urban community centered around Harlem.   This book is a poem, highlighting the sounds, sights and culture of a place with such a deep rich impact on American history.  This piece of filled with historical names and events tied into our history allowing a reader to explore the importance of each word on the page.   This is a crucial picture book, because not only are the words powerful, but the illustrations by Myers son, Christopher Myers evoke emotion along with the story. 

This book can be meant to read in a K-8 setting, being relatable with a history lesson, or even just a wonderful classroom read along. 

This story screams culture for your students to envelop themselves in, not only with words, but with illustrations.  This text is so powerful for any student to read to understand African American culture in America.  The characters are very real, and they are able to make references to African Americans who are well known in history, but still so real for their own wonderful culture.   The setting is completely celebrated, and appreciated as such an important community to be a part of America.  The language is lyrical, and gives poetry a well deserved justice  painting a cultural masterpiece for many students to enjoy. 

What's inside?
Allusion- Myers uses Harlem as an opportunity to incorporate strong, important African Americans throughout history, but still in a poetic manner. 
A weary blues that Langston knew 
And Count sun
A river of blues where Du Bois waded
and Baldwin preached. 

We can see in the first line the tribute to Langston Hughes. 

 Personification:

We can see this in the verse 

Colors loud enough to be heard,

It is as if you can imagine such a color, taking on a humanistic like quality of being so loud, they can make sound. 

Similes?  Of course!

Heavy hearted tambourine rhythms 
Loosed in the hard city 
Like a scream torn from the throat 
Of an ancient clarinet

Although both of these objects are instruments, they are being compared as two separate objects having the same qualities.

Christopher Myers does a wonderful job of illustrating the community of Harlem, and giving us that rich, gritty feel of the community.  Each character in history is fairy portrayed as a person of power in their culture.  The pictures on the page write as much of a story as the poem, and I think both Myers made this book one to remember, 

So what can we learn from this?
This is a great opportunity to teach history of African American culture using the allusions that Myers provided us in Harlem.  Challenge your students to think of events that could have inspired this piece, take the characters mentioned and bring to life their stories in history.  Have them write their own poem about that time in history of choice.