Analysis Of James Weldon Johnson: The Book Of American Negro Poetry

“In the life of everyone there is a limited number of experiences which are not written upon the memory, but stamped there with a die; and in the long years after, they can be called up in detail, and every emotion that was stirred by them can be lived through anew; these are the tragedies of life’’( James Johnson). Living your life surrounded by people that make you happy and feel content are the important things in life. No one is promised tomorrow and James wrote about a woman that makes him feel like he will live till the end of time.
James Weldon Johnson is the creator of, “The book of American Negro poetry”, which is a book filled with Poems from different authors that write in African dialect. James Weldon Johnson's poems were written in a different way than the other authors in the book. The themes of the poems I have chosen, are love and compassion. James writes on the love he has with his lover and is grateful for her presence. James has great poems that are easy to read and to access for beginners.
The Book of American Negro poetry was written with so much creativity and knowledge of the black community.
The following list, is different types of African dialect that has been found throughout the entire book. From different authors and writing styles, the book was put together beautifully. Afro- Asiatic covers nearly all of northern Africa including the horn of Africa. Nilo-Saharan is scattered in central and eastern Africa with 140 languages and 11 million speakers. Niger-Sahrian covers ⅔ of Africa with different branches. This dialect collects more than 1000 languages with 200 million speakers.
Most common types of African dialect is scattered throughout Africa. There is many different languages spoken in Africa, but these are the top five common types. Arabic is Spoken in Africa as well as; Kishwahli, also known as swahili, is a Bantu language of the swahili people. Hausa, is a Chadic language with most speakers of that speak it as their first language, which is twenty-seven million and the the second being twenty million. English is spoken all over the world and most countries lean it as a second language. Amharic, is an Ethiopian language that houses twenty-two million speakers . These dialects of languages are used in “ The Book Of Negro Poetry”.
James uses what he called “ Negro Dialect”, which is the language Black people used in the United States. This new style of writing helped him write about how he truly felt instead of hiding behind a despair. When James first started to write his poems, they were for “Negro Week” at an all white school. HIs poems where for the white audience instead of the black community.Negro Dialect allowed him to express himself with raw and uncut emotions in every single one of his poems. This form of expression inspired other writers to step out of the invisible boundaries and create their own way of writing and ideas.
In the poem “ The Glory Of The Day Was In Her Face” uses ABAB rhyme scheme. The corresponding lines describe one another. Whether it's synonyms or just vivid descriptive words.
This poem describes a woman that holds the most amount of beauty any women in his eyes has possessed.
She holds a smile that shines love and beauty. Her eyes shined with a unique beauty of the best sight he's laid eyes on. “And in her smile, the breaking light of love” ( James, Line7). James writes about the women he loves so beautifully. The language he uses makes her beauty that's described so much better. “ And in her voice, the calling of the dove; like music of a sweet, melodious part” (James, Line 5-6). This quote represents how her voice is calm and sweet. Her voice was the best thing any man on earth would love to hear with their own ears. It's also personification, which is throughout the entire poem. “The calling of the dove”, represents the peaceful and soothingness of her voice. James also uses personification, “ Of Morning blushing in the early skies” ( James, Line 4)this poem corresponds with most of his poems, by using the ABAB rhyme
scheme.
“Beauty That's Never Old” also has the ABA rhyme scheme( Me). In this poem though the corresponding lines are almost a cause and effect. He describes something bad but making sure to make the women of his life relevant to the the poem. This women make his bad days good. His rainy nights filled with rainbows. All she has to do is be herself and smile at him to feel it's his prime time with her. When james have poems like this, it shows how deeply in love he's in with this women, assumed his wife. He speaks so highly over her with interesting choice of words. I want no sure haven than your arms, I want no sweeter haven than your breast”( James, Lines 3-4). This is an example of his unusual choice of words.
Furthermore, the poem as a whole symbolises the love he has for his wife. This shows the raw emotion he has for her. All of his writings have raw and meaningful words for the people to know. These symbols are important because the identify the people he chooses to write about. He has certain descriptive words when speaking about them.
Also,the writing styles in the two pieces above are the same. They both have the same “Negro Dialect” and the use of ABAB rhyme scheme( Me).This shows the readers of the book, that they can connect certain poems together using the rhyme scheme and symbolism presented to them. The poems listed above are easy for beginners to use. Since they have a good rhyme scheme, they are easier to comprehend. The personification, smilies, and other literary devices create imagery for its readers. When a mind can imagine the words its reading, it can make the passage, or pom much better.
Finally, i like the way James writes his poems and books with so much emotion. He puts so much effort into making sure his poems had a message for its readers. In the poems listed above they both share common emotions with one another. They connect with each other in a creative sense. James Weldon