Negro Speaks of Change

In Langston Hughes’ poem “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” their is an instantaneously visible difference poetic form that of Claude McKay. Instead of using the sonnet form, Hughes uses a more free form. While McKay used to sonnet form to in a way link his work to a white audience, Hughes used subject matter that was appealing to whites. The tone of the poem itself is almost biblical when he states: “I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older than the/ flow of human blood in human veins” (Langston Hughes 2-3). This is basically Hughes’ way of pointing out an ancient tradition that links all human beings as one instead of catering to western audience through using conventionally “white” forms. This use of ancient tradition is really clear when he talks of the blood in human veins. He uses this image to symbolize how we are all alike in our humanity. In spite of this humanity however, he must hide his true self or race. This is clear in the refrain that states: “[m]y soul has grown deep like rivers”(Hughes 4). This shows he has had to hide his true self. He attempts to use this ancient human tradition to unite but instead it just drives him deeper into hiding his true self. He also points out how his race was there at the start of civilization and that he lived near the Congo. In this way he points out his roots. He also states that his race was there when the pyramids were built to symbolize how he was apart of mankind’s accomplishments. He then represents slavery with the phrase “I heard the singing of the Mississippi” (8). He then closes with the statement: “I’ve known rivers:/[a]ncient rivers”(11-12). This is almost Hughes’ way of saying that the freedom he wants to attain is still far from its arrival. He also makes clear with this discussion of ancient rivers to help symbolize that the treatment of his race has almost remained stagnant for years and years.

Langston writes of rivers