World Class Poetry Blog

Ushering In Black History Month With Poetry By Langston Hughes
31 January 2008, the poet @ 8:53 pm

Tomorrow being the first day of Black History Month, I thought it fitting to highlight the poetry of one of the best black poets in American history, Langston Hughes.

When reading the poetry of Langston Hughes one still feels the struggle for freedom. Even today. In some respects, especially today.

Hughes was a voice and advocate for African-American freedom almost before anyone else. The son of a shopkeeper, he was strongly influenced early on by common man poet Carl Sandburg. He was also influenced by African-American poet Paul Lawrence Dunbar and father of American poetry Walt Whitman, as evidenced by his poem “I, Too, Sing America,” a direct allusion to Whitman’s “I Hear America Singing.”

Langston Hughes traveled widely and sought a degree at university in a time when most black people were limited in their means. While they possessed physical freedom in the sense that they were no longer slaves, there was still a great deal of economic bondage during Hughes’ time. Hughes used his experiences in travel and his education to address political issues related to race, but that was not all that he wrote. He was very diverse and fused his lyrical style of writing with jazz influences, a rare combination for his time. In fact, this common practice of today can be attributed to Langston Hughes as a forerunner.

One of my favorite poems by Langston Hughes is “The Negro Speaks Of Rivers.” One senses when one reads that Hughes is delivering a monologue from the intestinal fortitude developed while struggling to live free. The first line is short and to the point:

I’ve known rivers:

The colon at the end of the line is perhaps one of the best literary devices that Hughes could have used for that line. Lesser poets would have used an exclamation point instead. Hughes uses the colon, indicating the stark importance of his proclamation. Unusually, what comes before the colon is as important as what follows, but what follows is no less magnificent.

I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older than the
flow of human blood in human veins.

Can you hear Whitman in those lines? The long flowing song-like lyrics just roll right off the tongue, and they are passionate like a song of beauty. Right away I want to know who this master of verse is, this larger-than-life minstrel telling me he is ancient. Intriguing and full of wonder.

The entire poem, though short, is as near perfect as any poem can be. That it was written by a black man is almost irrelevant until one realizes that when this poem was written there was hardly a white man in America who would expect a black man to be able to pen such lines. Deep, like the rivers. I cannot heap enough praise upon this poem, “The Negro Speaks Of Rivers.”

Click here to hear an audio recording of Langston Hughes’ poem. For more information about Langston Hughes, visit World Class Poetry.

8 Comments a “Ushering In Black History Month With Poetry By Langston Hughes”

1. Sara — February 1, 2008 @ 9:57 am
   

   I have mentioned you at PWB. Thanks for being a member of our site and for spreading poetry awareness through the blogosphere.

2. susan — February 1, 2008 @ 10:40 am
   

   Hi Allen,

   Appreciate your posting this and I like your analysis of Hughes work.

   What contemporary poets do you enjoy?

3. Pam — February 1, 2008 @ 8:21 pm
   

   Thank you for sharing this. I have collected a number of Langston Hughes poems over the years but I have never heard him recite one. It was wonderful.

4. the poet — February 1, 2008 @ 8:33 pm
   

   Sara, thanks!

   Susan, my first influence came from Sharon Olds. Her book Satan Says opened my imagination. I also like Galway Kinnell, Robert Bly, Donald Hall, Robert Pinsky, and Lyn Lifshin. Ai is also a fabulous read and, of course, Maya Angelou. Someone you’ve likely never heard of: Jeff Rath. I highly recommend him.

   Pam, you’re welcome. Yes, the recording is awesome. Drop in again any time.

5. susan — February 1, 2008 @ 10:00 pm
   

   Hi Allen,

   And you do enjoy of contemporary black poets? You’ve highlighted Hughes and then mention Angelou, but there are so many talented, emerging black poets writing today. I highly recommend Tracy K. Smith, Camille Dungy, Kevin Young, Cornelius Eady, Leslie Reese, Tymeba Jess and Tara Betts.

   One of the things that disappoints me about Black History Month is the failure to celebrate those who have recently made history and currently making it. We blacks continue to contribute to our society. Our youth need to be taught our history and strides didn’t stop with Hughes, Tubman and Carver. We are creating today.

   Be well.
   Susan

   p.s. I enjoy all the poets you mention with the exception of Rath. I’ll check him out.

6. the poet — February 1, 2008 @ 10:40 pm
   

   Susan, I took the liberty of adding links to some of the references to these poets. Thanks for mentioning. I had forgotten about Kevin Young. Of the ones you mentioned, I am most familiar with his work. He is incredible. I am vaguely familiar with Tracy K. Smith, but not very. I have not heard of the others. Thanks for sharing the list.

7. susan — February 3, 2008 @ 8:57 pm
   

   Allen,

   Let’s have a continuous dialog about what’s currently happening in the poetry world. AWP is currently going on in New York. I don’t have links at the moment, but do check out Cave Canem and Fishouse Poems. Jess is just amazing. I believe you can google a sample of his work. He was a major fellowship for his work on Leadbelly.

   Please come by Black-Eyed Susan’s and I will regularly check in here.

   p.s. Thanks for posting the links.

8. Theresa Cressey — February 22, 2008 @ 12:36 pm
   

   I remmeber Hughes poem being read in my school as a little girl and it still comes to my mind. Hughs’ peom inspirers me not to give up and keep trying to complete my dreams.

   Thanks for your views about him.

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