Reapers

Jean Toomer 1894 (Washington, D.C.) – 1967 (Doylestown)



Black reapers with the sound of steel on stones
Are sharpening scythes. I see them place the hones
In their hip-pockets as a thing that's done,
And start their silent swinging, one by one.
Black horses drive a mower through the weeds,
And there, a field rat, startled, squealing bleeds,
His belly close to ground. I see the blade,
Blood-stained, continue cutting weeds and shade.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 26, 2023

20 sec read
558

Quick analysis:

Scheme AABBCCDD
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 380
Words 67
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 8

Jean Toomer

Jean Toomer was an American poet and novelist and an important figure of the Harlem Renaissance. more…

All Jean Toomer poems | Jean Toomer Books

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