Sound and Sense in Langston Hughes The Negro Speaks of...

Sound and Sense in Langston Hughes The Negro Speaks of Rivers The text of the poem can be found at the bottom of this page. In Langston Hughes poem The Negro Speaks of Rivers, Hughes makes use of some interesting poetic techniques. This poem is written in free verse, and seems, at first glance, to be very unstructured. Hughes repeats words and lines, but does not make use of repeated sounds. Hughes rivers are very rich in symbolism, and are not just simple bodies of water. Finally, some of his word choices near the end of the poem help to bring the message of the poem across more strongly. These poetic techniques contribute greatly to the quality of the poem. In this poem, Hughes chooses to use free verse.†¦show more content†¦The second and ninth lines, though they are very different in length, both focus on the ancient rivers. This repetition helps to reinforce the message of the poem. Also, lines four through seven all begin with the word I, and all four of these lines mention a river. This structural repetition frees the audience to concentrate on the meaning of the poem, and also reinforces how these rivers and what they represent have been so important in the history of the African-American people. It also gives a regular rhythm to this part of the poem. Some free verse poems are still structured with most of their lines approximately the same length. Hughes chooses to ignore this tradition, and varies his line lengths dramatically, from the three-word Ive known rivers (1, 8) or Ancient, dusky rivers (9) to the twenty-seven word seventh line, I heard the singing of the Mississippi... These variations in line length help to focus the reader. Short lines are generally more memorable than long lines. The line Ive known rivers by itself is very powerful. How can a person know a river? This idea that Hughes has known rivers implies that he, or the African-American race for which he speaks, is very deeply connected to the rivers. Such lines, since they are so short, are naturally accented when one reads this poem. Longer lines, like the second and seventh, do not stick as easily in the readersShow MoreRelatedPoetry for a Generation1184 Words   |  5 PagesPoetry for a Generation â€Å"We Negro writers, just by being black, have been on the blacklist all our lives. Censorship for us begins at the color line† (AfricanAmericanQuotes). Langston Hughes was an African American poet who made poetry that reflected what he witnessed in the urban communities throughout his life. Langston Hughes’ poetry spoke the words, feelings, and hardships that African Americans had to live with on a day to day basis. 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