Langston Hughes
I know we glanced over some of his work, but I don't think we did this amazing poet justice! I've been a long time fan of his work, and the complexity of his poetry never ceases to amaze me. Take Mother to Son , one of his most famous poems. It is relatively short, yet the length is there for a reason. If a mother is talking to her son about hardship, she isn't going to put it lightly or try to beat around the bush. The fact that this is short and to the point only adds to the importance of this poem both to the mother's son and to the audience. Furthermore, the rhythm of the poem adds another layer of complexity that drives home the poem's meaning. The long continuous sentences make the poem feel more real, making it feel like the mother is adding more and more examples on the spot to prove her point. I think that this is the true reason why I enjoy Langston Hughes' poetry. He is so creative when it comes to rhyming and rhythm, which creates a poem that is both...