Langston Hughes By Julia Vogt

The negro speaks of rivers

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

My soul has grown deep like the rivers. I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young. I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to

sleep. I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above

it. I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe

Lincolnwent down to New Orleans, and I've seen its muddy bosom turn all golden in the sunset. I've known rivers: Ancient, dusky rivers. My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

Why I like: “the negro speaks of rivers”

The imagery is beautifully clear; it is bright and paints a definite story. It has sort of a timeline to it; giving it a structured, easy-to-read rhythm.

• It is reminiscent of certain times in the speaker’s life, it is written from the soul. It is a wonderful representation of a strong connection with these rivers.

Harlem sweetiesBY LANGSTON HUGHES Have you dug the spill Of Sugar Hill? Cast your gims On this sepia thrill:   Brown sugar lassie,   Caramel treat,   Honey-gold baby   Sweet enough to eat.   Peach-skinned girlie,   Coffee and cream,   Chocolate darling   Out of a dream.   Walnut tinted Or cocoa brown,   Pomegranate-lipped   Pride of the town.   Rich cream-colored   To plum-tinted black,   Feminine sweetness   In Harlem’s no lack.Glow of the quinceTo blush of the rose   

Persimmon bronze   To cinnamon toes.   Blackberry cordial,   Virginia Dare wine— All those sweet colors   Flavor Harlem of mine!   Walnut or cocoa,   Let me repeat: Caramel, brown sugar,   A chocolate treat.   Molasses taffy, Coffee and cream,   Licorice, clove, cinnamon   To a honey-brown dream.   Ginger, wine-gold,   Persimmon, blackberry, All through the spectrum Harlem girls vary— So if you want to know beauty’s   Rainbow-sweet thrill, Stroll down luscious, Delicious, fine Sugar Hill.

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Why I like “Harlem sweeties”

This poem has a smooth, flowing rhythm. It moves from one line to the next with an easy grace. This poem could easily be made into a song. I like the wording and the sweet simplicity of the poem.

dreams

•Hold fast to dreams For if dreams die Life is a broken-winged bird That cannot fly. Hold fast to dreams For when dreams go Life is a barren field Frozen with snow.

Why I like “dreams”

This poem is short, but it creates an image of total despair without dreams in a simple verse. I like this poem mostly because I agree with it. Without and dreams, we are left with a bleak future. We cannot hope to go forward without dreams.

The negro speaks of rivers

• Analytical paragraph• Characteristics of modernism• Visual art representing the negro

speaks of rivers• Explanation of visual art

“The negro speaks of rivers” by Langston Hughes

The reminiscent mood creates a deep tone.“I've known rivers;

Ancient, dusky rivers.My soul has grown deep like the rivers.”

The speaker talks about all the rivers he has been connected to. The imagery is rich

and smooth. His “soul has grown

deep like the rivers” in other words, he learned something and taken

something away from each experience. He feels almost as though these rivers were

wise elders guiding him and providing wisdom.

Characteristics of modernism: Langston Hughes

• Langston Hughes wrote about the working class instead of the nobles. He brought his life and the lives of the people into the open.

• Hughes also had a very wide range of material he wrote about. He did not stick to one topic, but rather talked about various issues during his time.

• Langston Hughes’ poetry was in a sense “jazzed up”. He put a lot of his pieces to simple music, thereby adding new dimension and depth.

• Langston Hughes’ style differs in every poem. His poetry seems to move with his mood.

The negro speaks of rivers

The negro speaks of rivers

I feel that this particular piece expresses the feeling of the poem very well. The poem is sort of “look” into Langston Hughes life. In the poem he tells us about various points in his life and the places he has been. I think the winding road in the background represents a river. In this poem, the negro speaks of rivers, rivers are the focus. So is the “river” in the picture frame.

In focus.

credits

• All photos: Google images• Information:• http://csferry.myweb.uga.edu/hughes.html• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langston_Hughes

• http://www0.epinions.com/content_3435634820

• Poems:• http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/dreams-2/• http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15722

• http://www.poetryfoundation.org/archive/poem.html?id=177389