Author: Armstrong, D. Hercules; Brecht, Bertolt.; et al. Smith, Jessica; editor.
Title: Soviet Russia Today. (Vol. 11, No. 10) February,1943. (Cover Title).
Description: (New York: S.R.T. Publications, Inc.), 1943. 1943. ISSUE CONTAINING A POEM BY AFRICAN AMERICAN POET HERCULES ARMSTRONG - Quarto [approximately 11-3/4 inches high by 8-3/4 inches wide], softcover bound in pictorial red-and-white wrappers. The binding is lightly rubbed with some minor soiling. The corners of the front wrap are slightly bumped & there is a light paper-clip mark to the bottom edge of the rear wrap. 34 pages. Black-and-white illustrations. The bottom page corners are lightly bumped. Very good.

There are two items of special literary interest in this issue. On pages 26-27 is a one-and-a half page poem, "O! Soviet Land!" by little-known African American poet D. Hercules Armstrong. Genevieve Taggard writes a note on Armstrong below the poem. He was born in Georgia in 1919. He was attracted to poetry by the writing of Langston Hughes and Countee Cullen and had poems published in a several magazines. Pursuing his interest in writing for choral groups, he wrote "O! Soviet Land!" for a group of young people who rehearsed the chant and provided feedback. He felt that the writing benefited from its preparation for group production.

On page 27 is an unusual translation by Roy Temple House of Bertolt Brecht's poem "The Soldier's Wife" ["Ballad of the Soldier's Wife"]. Very good .

Keywords: HISTORY; SOVIET UNION; AMERICAN PERIODICAL; SOVIET RUSSIA TODAY; JESSICA SMITH, EDITOR; ILLUSTRATIONS; AFRICAN AMERICAN POET; D. HERCULES ARMSTRONG; O! SOVIET LAND! CHORAL CHANT; BERTOLT BRECHT; BALLAD OF THE SOLDIER'S WIFE; UNUSUAL TRANSLATION; ROY

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