Langston Hughes Essay

Many poets Langston Hughes, a poet born in Missouri, one of the first poets to bring innovation in poetry, writing and much more coming from African-American’s. One of his innovations, Jazz poetry, poetry coming from the beat of jazz music, was one of the early most popular kind of poetry. Hughes has many poems, different types of poems and all of them are interesting. He mainly wrote about the things going around in his life. He had to get used to things. But he wanted something better. Something better for himself, better for the people. So he would write poetry about things in his life and his surroundings. Poetry is expressing one’s feelings and emotions through words. Describing these things in a unique and vibrant way was
a big part of poetry. Hughes shaped his poetry by the life he was living, the things going on during those times. Racism and segregation was a big part of it that impacted his life and the way he saw things. In one of Hughes poems called “I,Too” he mentions “I am the darker brother,
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes.” Segregation played roughly during these times.
He had to go away and be pushed away when there were white people around. Racism is no joke in today’s world. Even though these racist segregated tragedies kept occurring, he did not care. “But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong” These things were irrelevant to him, he was still content with living.
Langston Hughes also had a poem called “Harlem”. He talks about achieving one’s dream or goal in life. Also about holding on those dreams and waiting on them. Hughes was an innovator. It may not seem like it but he was. Innovating is creating a huge change in something, using new methods or products. Hughes invented a new way of writing poetry, Jazz poetry. Poetry based on feelings and emotions of Jazz music. This innovation brought the blacks and whites together a little closer, so Langston Hughes did achieve his dream and strongly help racism. In Harlem he mentions, “What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore-
And then run?” He goes on and on about a dream slept on. He is trying to get the message out about dreams being held onto for too long can sometimes die out. He achieved his goal, his dream, so anybody
can.
Langston Hughes has many poems that he wrote about describing times he’s experienced and events he been in. Harlem for example, even today some of the main big streets of the city of Harlem are named after widely known African-American people. Hughes had many different feelings towards the whole discussion but overall he was glad for what he accomplished and what he had done for people.