SOURCE: "On The Danger Line," in Poetry, Vol. 24, No. 5, February, 1930, pp. 286-89.

In the following review, James examines poetic style in The Black Christ, and Other Poems.

[The Black Christ, and Other Poems] proves again that Countee Cullen is an accomplished poet, but it shows also the danger in being an accomplished poet. He writes well, he uses the proper subjects, the strong verbs, rare adjectives and inverted order of modern verse, but the polished results seem to lack that lyric freshness that makes this type of verse worth while. To give an example, here is "Nothing Endures":

 Nothing endures,
Not even love,
Though the warm heart purrs
Of the length thereof.

Though beauty wax,
Yet shall it wane;
Time lays a tax
On the subtlest brain.

Let the blood riot,
Give it its will;
It shall grow quiet.
It shall grow still.

Nirvana gapes
For all things...