The three poems “I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman, “I, Too” by Langston
Hughes, and “Ending Poem” by Rosario and Aurora Levins Morales deals with the poets’ ideas of the American identity. Each of the poets uses free verse poetry techniques such as metaphors, simile, personification, and repetition to create the idea of discovering self identity as an
American.
Walt Whitman was a rebel. Rejecting typical verse forms and techniques, he was a poet for the common man which was unusual during his time mid 19th century (18551870). A spokesman for all that was American, he created new poetry for a new age. Becoming well known as father of free verse poetry. One of the most prolific, original, and versatile writers of the Harlem Renaissance was Langston Hughes, Hughes became the leading voice of the beauty, strengths, and hardships of the AfricanAmerican experience in the United States. Rosario
Morales and Aurora Levins Morales, mother and daughter,wrote “Ending Poem” about who they are and their ancestors’ contribution to their lives. The poets feel that their ancestors’ ways of life are part of them, but each poet believes she is also a new and unique individual.
In Whitman’s “I Hear America Singing” he is celebrating how the American working class makes the country great
.
For example, Whitman uses repetition such as “I hear America singing,” “each one singing,” “carpenter singing,” “mason singing,” and others. This means that
America/American people work hard and enjoy their work. Their work makes America a great country.
In addition, he uses examples of catalog such as “carpenter,” “mason,” “boatman,”
“deckhand,” “shoemaker,” and others. This means that workers and common people who work with their hands not rich and powerful people who don’t work hard make America a great country. Furthermore, he uses examples of metaphor and personification such as “singing,” and
“I hear America