Langston Hughes: Poet of Experience Essay

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To combat the power of their oppressive circumstances, many would sing to chase away the blue. This tradition is captured in the " Thump, thump, thump, went his foot on the floor" (22). The song is about oppression and an attempt to be happy regardless of setting. Heritage, history and hope merge together in this poem to explore what the African experience must have been like.

Hughes' poetry is also recognized for its human touch. Hughes had a way of looking at what might seem like an ordinary experience and find something significant in it. An example of this can be seen with the poem, "Mother to Son." The topic of this poem is simply a mother talking to her son; however, the poet captures the essence of the mother's desire to pass on her knowledge to her young boy. Her knowledge is significant because she has lived the life of an African-American at a time when America was still rather racist and she must pass on what she has learned about race struggles to him. The poet captures her voice perfectly, illustrating his ability to assume a persuasive persona. The mother's voice comes across strong and assertive as she passes on her knowledge to her son. She talks to him about struggling in a racist world but she does not give up hope for her son. She says, "So boy, don't you turn back./Don't you set down on the steps/'Cause you finds it's kinder hard" (Hughes Mother to Son 14-6). The poet uses the metaphor of a crystal stair with the mother's goal to reach the top of the stair, where she will finally reach freedom.

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This poem is tender without being too sympathetic; it is educational without being preachy. The mother in this poem wants her child to learn from her experience.

Experience was extremely important to Hughes. His poetry emerges as some of the most passionate and realistic because of Hughes' ability to discover something new with every different experience. The experiences of those in his past are also important in that he is willing to learn something their experiences as well. Being African-American when Hughes was alive was still difficult to do. Overcoming racism while allowing himself to assimilate in his changing community is something that makes Hughes' poetry powerful and memorable. He did not let his circumstances ruin his life -- instead, he decided to put them to good use and learn from them as well as educate others. Poem such as "Harlem" and "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" bring out attention to a point of time that was real for many individuals. Through such poetry, Hughes' allows us to see his ability to express himself eloquently. Hughes was also able to look at the human experience and tell a poetic story. "Song for a Dark Girl" and "Mother to Son" demonstrate Hughes' talent at writing from a different perspective and proving a point. Hughes' poetry succeeds because the poet captures out imagination and keeps it long enough to teach us something. Hughes' proves that life is the stuff of which poetry is made.

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