These first few Cullen poems show a great amount of religious conflict stirring within the writer. These are themes that can transcend any social or economic background. Crisis of faith and the loss of innocence.
The latter of the two coming within the short simple heart breaking "Incident" where a cheerful wide-eyed youth venturing to a new city is dealt the first cold hard stinging blow of an abomination of hate that will plague the youth for a lifetime.
In "Simon" and "Pagan Prayer" there is a longing for faith, but a distance that is yet to be overcome to achieve it. The honesty of "Prayer" in the uncertainty with which Cullen approaches Christianity is very moving. Cullen simultaneously lays bare the feelings of doubt in the faith with the feelings of admiration for those who follow the teachings of it. A truly evident conflict displayed with honesty resulting in some top notch poetic work.
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Quit lying to yourself these poems were terrible! Just kidding, i agree Cullen put some effort into crafting some works to be remembered. Incident definetly was a heartbreaker like you said, but had to be this way to get its point across. Religion truly was a major theme throughout. There was a struggle for faith it appears as we leaf through Cullens work. It seems that CUllen had some disagreements with the Church's beliefs and questioned why whites could go to church and be so negative to blacks---who will be held higher in heaven? Who will be crowned with Gold the ones who had to suffer or the ones who gave the suffering? It definetly is troubling from his perspective, but with the Bible and Church; from what i have learned, there is supposed to be simply no questioning...
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