I've officially become a literary academic nerd

[Izulde]

I've spent the past 30 minutes trying to find Edward Eli Burriss's biography to try and find a connection.

Here's the backstory:

In class yesterday, somebody asked why Claude McKay used a pseudonym for his poem "Harlem Dancer" (1917). Prof didn't know but did some research and emailed us today saying they hadn't found anything that directly answered the question, so they were opening it to the class.

I take up the challenge and do some poking around, coming with Eli Edward Burriss (Eli Edward was the pseudonym McKay used for the poem and for "Invocation", which I'm also trying to find the text of by the way.)

Burriss appears to have written extensively from at least the early 1920s-mid 1930s on the occult and magic in ancient Rome, which ties in to certain aspects of "Harlem Dancer" and possibly "Invocation", if I can find it online to read it... the title might hint at something anyway.

The problem is, I can't find Burriss's bio anywhere online to be able to determine whether he would've been around to influence McKay into that name choice, nor can I find any of Burriss's work from anything earlier than 1922, which is problematic since "Harlem Dancer" and "Invocation" were both published in 1917.

Funny thing is... African-American writers aren't even a primary research interest area for me, yet I'm intrigued by this puzzle.

...Yeah, I'm officially a geek. :o

[Subby]

If only there was a picture to help illustrate this thread...

[Flasch186]

ahem, lemme see if I can explain.

[Marc Vaughan]

Short bio on him here:
http://web.csustan.edu/english/reuben/pal/chap9/mckay.html

All his poems appear to be available online here (their titles and also the poems themselves):
http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/claude_mckay/poems

I expect that you're drawing a blank on Eli Edward Burriss because it appears that his poems are listed under the 'real name' (I'm assuming "The Harlem Dancer" is the same as Harlem Dancer).

No idea if this is useful or not hope this helps - but I expect you'd have found these already,

Marc

[Izulde]

Short bio on him here:
http://web.csustan.edu/english/reuben/pal/chap9/mckay.html

All his poems appear to be available online here (their titles and also the poems themselves):
http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/claude_mckay/poems

I expect that you're drawing a blank on Eli Edward Burriss because it appears that his poems are listed under the 'real name' (I'm assuming "The Harlem Dancer" is the same as Harlem Dancer).

No idea if this is useful or not hope this helps - but I expect you'd have found these already,

Marc

Thanks, Marc :) Although Invocation wasn't on the second link, the first link you gave appears to have the answer.

His mother's maiden name was Hannah Ann Elizabeth Edwards.

Elizabeth Edwards shortened = Eli Edward.

[NoMyths]

Thanks, Marc :) Although Invocation wasn't on the second link, the first link you gave appears to have the answer.

His mother's maiden name was Hannah Ann Elizabeth Edwards.

Elizabeth Edwards shortened = Eli Edward.

Ding!

Note of Poetic Coincidence: Claude McKay and I both attended Kansas State. And we both spent time in Charleston.