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Born James Langston Hughes on February 1, 1902, died May 22, 1967, this poet became the central figure of the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s. He wrote his poem "The Negro Speaks of River" when he was only eighteen years old. This analysis will show how precocious this brilliant poet was.

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MasterWriter is everything the poet needs in one program. Free Trial.
www.masterwriter.com

Books by Lew Duffey
Lew Duffeys Official Website Author: Lew Duffey
www.immaculatewhitesmoke.com

Poetry Contest
Prizes of $1000 to $25000. Heartfelt poems due Nov. 6.
DorothyPrizes.org

The speaker in Langston Hughes' poem "The Negro Speaks of River" delivers his claims in a cosmic voice that extends throughout all time and space. This voice includes all peoples.

Hughes' ancestry included the three major race groups; he lived as an African-American (Hughes referred to himself as "colored" or "Negro," because he was writing before the term "African-American" was accepted widely); his parents were African-Americans. But Hughes' interests far exceeded racial limitations. He embraced all of life. He suffered the color-line, when racism was strong in early twentieth-century America, but he rose above racial hatred and felt love and compassion for all races. His acceptance is especially evident in "The Negro Speaks of River" spoken by a cosmic voice that includes and unites all people.

The poem begins, "I've known rivers:...