Theme for English B

Mrs. White! I completely and totally spaced that I didn't do a poetry response last week, so I'm sorry about that! D: This is my poetry response from last week, and after this, I'll do my response for this week. :)

I was so glad that you gave us a Langston Hughes poem and said that we could write a response on it: Langton Hughes is one of my absolute favorite poets.

Theme for English B
The instructor said,
Go home and write
a page tonight.
And let that page come out of you---
Then, it will be true.
I wonder if it's that simple?
I am twenty-two, colored, born in Winston-Salem.
I went to school there, then Durham, then here
to this college on the hill above Harlem.
I am the only colored student in my class.
The steps from the hill lead down into Harlem
through a park, then I cross St. Nicholas,
Eighth Avenue, Seventh, and I come to the Y,
the Harlem Branch Y, where I take the elevator
up to my room, sit down, and write this page:
It's not easy to know what is true for you or me
at twenty-two, my age. But I guess I'm what
I feel and see and hear, Harlem, I hear you:
hear you, hear me--we two--you, me, talk on this page.
(I hear New York too.) Me--who?
Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love.
I like to work, read, learn, and understand life.
I like a pipe for a Christmas present,
or records---Bessie, bop, or Bach.

->Langston Hughes shows his reader that he isn't terribly different like people think he is. Just because he has a different skin color doesn't mean he isn't human--he still likes the same things as several other people.

I guess being colored doesn't make me NOT like
the same things other folks like who are other races.
So will my page be colored that I write?
Being me, it will not be white.
But it will be
a part of you, instructor.
You are white--
yet a part of me, as I am a part of you.

-->I love that part. He's trying to show his instructor that no matter how different they both may be from eachother, they are both still a part of eachother--human. The way Langston Hughes shows his to his instructor equality is sheer brilliance. I wish I could have seen the reaction of the people living in Langston Hughes' era to his poems. They are so strong' I couldn't imagine anyone trying to argue with Mr. Hughes.


That's American.
Sometimes perhaps you don't want to be a part of me.
Nor do I often want to be a part of you.
But we are, that's true!
As I learn from you,
I guess you learn from me--
although you're older--and white--
and somewhat more free.

This is my page for English B.

I am in love with the rhythm this poem has. It sounds like he's telling us a story. I don't even know how to describe it--all I know is that his style is so amazing...so unique. I only wish I could write poetry like Langston Hughes. This is the kind of poetry that is worth reading out loud :)