Saturday, September 25, 2010

I, Too, Sing America


 

I, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.

Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.

Besides, 
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed--

I, too, am America.



The reason i picked this poem is because Langston Hughes is one of my favorite poets, and im not that "into" poetry, since this week we are covering black civil rights movement, i thought it was pretty unique that this poem was apart of the primary sources because it dosent really have ALOT to do with the black rights, it speaks about the light skinned--darker skinned, tension that has been  going  on between the african american race since the years of slavery, to make a long story short the light skinned black people were treated better than the darker skinned because they were closer to the white complexion, and because of that theres been theory that the light skinned black people thought they were better and had a high rank is society,

"I, too, sing America.I am the darker brother.

They send me to eat in the kitchen

When company comes,"



this is perfect because it tells a story in 3 stanzas, yet is still emotionally felt in the poem


"Then.Besides,They'll see how beautiful I am

And be ashamed--I, too, am America."

this was a very unique way to end the poem because it still emphasizes the irony of hope and confidence which is two of the main keys that helped to proceed progression in the equal rights for blacks in America

1 comment:

  1. i'm also no that into poems, but this one stood out more to me also.

    it's true how it shows his confidence on the last stanza that you quoted, it also shows that he isn't ashamed of who he is.

    i also don't see how it has much to do with black rights..

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