My Valued Ruby: Poems

In Short

This volume is a deeply personal anthology of verse written by a husband and poet looking back at his life in Pennsylvania. It moves between tender odes to his wife, Ruby, and observational pieces about his community, the natural world, and the challenges of the era. The work has endured because it preserves a specific, grounded voice from 1920, offering a window into the private meditations of an African American writer navigating love, faith, social injustice, and the simple, quiet joys of domestic life.

The Story

The arc of this collection begins with a firm declaration of purpose: a dedication to the author’s race and an aspiration toward a "foresighted" day. The poems that follow establish a world defined by the interplay of domestic stability and the harsh realities of a country transitioning through the post-war period. The speaker’s life is anchored by his wife, Ruby, who appears throughout the text as a source of poetic inspiration, comfort, and domestic grace.

As the poems progress, the narrative shifts from intimate home life to the wider world. The speaker reflects on the nature of "Democracy," noting with pointed clarity the gap between America’s stated ideals and the reality of "jimcrow" laws. He balances these political observations with lighthearted depictions of community gatherings, such as the "Ginger Bay Outing" or the lively, humorous chaos of a town hall supper. These moments of levity are interspersed with the melancholy of human mortality, as the poet frequently returns to the themes of aging, the loss of loved ones, and the quiet, persistent presence of his deceased mother.

The middle section of the collection leans into the poet’s internal landscape—the "dark days" of doubt and the "bright days" of creative renewal. He contemplates the lives of historical "noble" figures like Frederick Douglass and Booker T. Washington, drawing strength from their legacies to bolster his own resolve. He writes with a sense of urgency about "The Battle of Hearts," acknowledging the fragility of human connection and the weight of conscience.

Toward the end of the book, the focus sharpens on the inevitability of the future. The poems become increasingly philosophical, treating life as a "ball of twine" that slowly unwinds toward an unknown end. Despite this somber recognition of life’s brevity, the book does not succumb to despair. Instead, it concludes with a series of reflections on the importance of maintaining a "sunny side" and a persistent faith in God. The final pages leave the reader with an image of a man who has made peace with his struggles, choosing to view his creative work—his "poetical dreams"—as a way to leave a legacy of love and integrity for the next generation.

How It Unfolds

The dedication of the path The author opens by offering his work to his race, setting a tone of communal responsibility and forward-thinking hope. He immediately establishes the poet’s role as a guide who must bridge the gap between present hardships and a brighter, promised future.

The domestic sanctuary A significant portion of the early work focuses on the warmth of the home, celebrating the cooking of his wife and the quiet beauty of their daily interactions. These poems serve as a refuge, contrasting sharply with the "rougher sea" of the world outside.

The rhythm of the community The poet transitions to the public sphere, capturing the lively, colloquial humor of local social events. He paints vivid pictures of church picnics and town dinners, documenting the specific customs and social dynamics of his neighbors.

The weight of social consciousness The middle chapters introduce the harsh realities of the era, addressing the failure of democracy to protect or honor the dignity of the Black man. The poet shifts his language, moving from gentle lyricism to a firm, challenging tone regarding equality and historical recognition.

The sunset of reflection The collection closes on a contemplative note, with the poet grappling with the passage of time and the approach of his own "last hour." He synthesizes his memories, his faith, and his love, offering a final, steadying perspective on the necessity of living with grace and purpose.

The People

The collection is centered on a few primary figures who anchor the poet’s world. The most prominent is his wife, Ruby, to whom he returns repeatedly. She is his "golden pier," the person whose support allows him to work with "vim" and whose presence turns his "dark days" into sunshine. She represents the stability he craves and the standard of beauty and kindness against which he measures the world.

The poet himself is a figure of quiet ambition and deep sensitivity. He is a man who acknowledges his own "weaknesses"—often his susceptibility to sorrow or his struggle to maintain a "sunny" disposition—but remains committed to his craft. He wants to be remembered not for wealth or fame, but for his dedication to his race and the truthfulness of his verse.

Then there are the "Eight Noblemen," historical icons like Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, and Crispus Attucks. These figures serve as the poet’s moral and intellectual compass. They represent what is possible for a man of his race, providing him with a sense of history and the "might and grace" required to keep writing in a world that often ignores his contributions. Finally, the "unseen" figure of his mother acts as his constant spiritual guide. She is a presence in the spirit land, walking with him "hand in hand" through his daily struggles, providing the comfort of maternal love even long after her death.

In Its Own Voice

The poet captures the simple, life-sustaining joy found in a partner’s daily domestic efforts:

"It seems that it’s her pride / To fix good eats, / Such as roast pork and candied sweet tatoes, / And apple pies, she can’t be beat."

In a moment of political frustration, he addresses the contradiction of his country's values:

"Stand up! America, you’re the land of the noble and free, / But you’re letting other countries mention things you ought to see."

He reflects on the transient nature of his own creative work compared to the finality of death:

"But what’s the use in worrying, friends, / The graveyard gets us all."

What It's Really About

At its heart, this book is an argument for the dignity of the individual life. It asks how one maintains a "sunny" spirit in a world that is often cold, prejudiced, and indifferent. The author explores the tension between private joy—the love for a wife, the smell of flowers, the satisfaction of a meal—and the public burden of existing in a society that fails to uphold its own democratic principles. It is a meditation on the power of memory and the necessity of art, asserting that even in the face of inevitable aging and systemic injustice, the act of writing down one’s thoughts is a way to claim one’s humanity and secure a place in history.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate the honest, unvarnished voice of the early 20th-century American experience will find much to admire here. This book is not a polished, academic production; it is a raw, earnest, and sometimes rustic collection that feels like a conversation with a neighbor. The inclusion of dialect pieces, such as the descriptions of "de ole Toun Hall" supper or the trials of a "lazy mule," adds a layer of authentic, localized color that grounds the poetry in a specific time and place.

Modern readers should be prepared for the period-specific attitudes and the occasional heavy-handedness of the moralizing. The poet is a man of his time, and his worldview is deeply intertwined with a particular brand of traditional piety and gender roles that may feel distant from today’s sensibilities. However, the warmth of his devotion and the clarity of his observations are timeless. If you are looking for a complex, challenging literary masterpiece, this may not be your choice. But if you are interested in how a human being—specifically an African American man in 1920—used language to make sense of his love, his race, and his own mortality, this book offers a moving, human-scale record that stays with you long after the final page.