1 Books Published by Salmon on AALBC — Book Cover Collage

The title “Ah, how poets sing and die!” is likely a poetic reference to the work of Anne Spencer, a significant figure in the Harlem Renaissance. While there isn’t a book with this exact title, it seems to echo themes common in Spencer’s poetry—contemplations of life, death, beauty, and the power of expression. Spencer often explored the human condition and the tension between creativity and mortality, which this quote encapsulates.

Anne Spencer’s poetry is rich with imagery drawn from nature, reflecting her deep love for her garden and the natural world. Her work frequently addresses themes of racial identity, gender, and personal freedom, often tinged with a quiet but powerful resolve. The phrase “sing and die” may capture the fleeting nature of artistic expression—how poets, like others, are subject to the passage of time, yet their songs (or poems) live on beyond them.

This particular line likely resonates as a meditation on the beauty and tragedy of artistic existence, with poets (or artists) creating something enduring, even as they themselves must pass away.

If you’d like, I can look for more detailed references to this quote or its context in Anne Spencer’s work!